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Helps to Thinking, 




^''J: 




V; 1 



r?« 



O/i tihC' Realities and True Teachings of the Scrip- 
tures, 

Ami on the Condition of the Ldhoring Masses of 

the People, 



SOME HINTS AND THOUGHTS 

On Settlement and Family Govern- 

ment, 

And a. Sketch of His Own Life, with some 

Valuable Recipes. 



((r 



rRUTU BETTER THAN FICTION." 



"Read Think and Profit Thereby." 



(^LEVELASD, GEORCJIA, 
1890. 



-O- 



Entered accordiiio- to Act of Oonorress in the year 189u by A. AV 
Smith, in the office of the Librarian of Congresfi, at Wash- 
ington City, D. 0. All Ivights^ lle.scrverl. 




SKtNAI, ,lor. OFFJCK, l)AlILO>iKGA, «iA., 
J. W. WOODWARD, PROP'r, 
1)^90. 





THE AUTHOR 



INDEX. 

History of Authors Life and Experience - - - - 4 

Condition of Adam in the Garden - - - - . 24 

The Condition of the Human Ilace from Adam to ]\rose.s - 28 

From Jacob to the Saviour Jesus Christ - - - - 81 

.Aliscellaneous Scriptures - - - - - - - (J2 

Who is God - - - - - - - ■ - . - ()2 

Who the Devil Is, what Heaven Is and what Hell Is - - <)2 

AVliat is the Holy Ghost - - -" - - - - 71 

On liepentance or What is llepentance - - - - 78 

When the Latter Days Are or Were - - - .- - 76 

On the Scriptural Meaning of the Word AVorld - - .- 78 

Washing Feet - - ' - - ... . . - 82 

On the Sacrament or Lord's Supper - - - ' - - 82 

What Prayer Is - - 90 

i)n Funerals - - - - - - - - - ' 94 

( )n Minoi'S Joining the Church - - - _ . „ 95 

<)n What the Word Man Means in the Scriptures - - 98 

C/oncerning Salvation . . . _ . . - 100 

To tlie Laboring Class — the Backbone of the World - - 108 

AYhat Makes Settlement Discord -■ - - - - 127 

Special Address to the Christians, Preachers and Students of Di- 
vinity - -.-- - - - -.- 184 

The Government of Families or Duty of Wife to Husband - 142 

The Duty of Man to his Wife - " - - - - - 152 

To Young Men Expressly - - - - - - 150 

Young Ladies Counsel - - - - - - - 160 

Possessing Lands - - - - - - - .1(74 

Admonitions on Alcohol - - - - - - - 178 

The Vain, Proud, Monied Preacher's Pray(u- - - - 175 

The Prayer of the Author of This Book " - - - - 178 

llegeneration or Being Born Again - . - - . j'^^ 

My Keligious Faith - - - - - - - - 186 

Useful Keceipts - - - - - "- - - 187 



o "rnmismg 



J 



On the Realities and True Teachings of the Scrip- 
tures, 
And on the Condition of the Laboring Masses of 

the People, 



-<—♦--»- 



SOME HINTS AND THOUGHTS 
On Settlement and Family Grovern- 

ment, 

• And a Sketch of His Own Life, with some 

Valuable Recipes. 




"TRUTH BETl^ER THAN FICTION." 

. — ' "U. 

"Read Think and Profit Thereby." 



CLEVELAJiD, GEORGIA, 
1890. 



2 HELPS TO THIKKTXG. ^^k> 

The actual condition of mankind, as sinners, under the law of 
ff'esh, the certain, condition that Adam and Eye were in after the fall, 
and what it took to redeem them from that fall and what kind of 
goverjiment the whole race was 'under after the fall, for about 2700 
years, and the cause of the first destruction, (which was by water) 
and what the first law was and what it taught them and who taught 
them and by what power — and how can we without a competent 
knowledge of what is taught by oUr rulings and graceful Master 
know Him, or how can we know of ourselves, and how it is and 
why it is, that this whole universe is filled up with so many, ficti- 
tious preachers who are leading ra^easur ably the whole Adamic fam- 
ily into the tradition of yaniljy and love of mammon as we are crea- 
tures of imitation, we are easily lead into vanity, because vre are 
naturally disinclined to follow after the teachings of the true word 
of God, "which was written by divine men, the natural man, being 
aiwaj-s adverse to God and Godly things. Tiiis thing lias been 
overlooked and permitted to go on for some centuries; but (lod, at His 
cwn g;ood time, vrill open up the evil doings to His people, for said 
He: "My word shall nevea* pass away," and that thing fully convinc- 
es me tliat this sliall and will be opened to the living people of this 
earth that we may take line upon line and precept upon precept, as 
it is laid doAvn by the divines. Oh! how fearful is the present con- 
dition of things — seeing the greatness of the human family tauglit 
so extensively in that direction ajid increasing so rapidly, but thanks 
be to the Eternal High King, no difference, how large and huge it 
riia\: o-et, He can and will lirini'- it doAvn. 

How readily the numerous nuiltitudes will follo^^' ai^ter error an-f 
v/ith vrhat facility they are deceived, • which is the grandeur mid 
greatness taugbt, lience, througli that cliannel led estray, l^eiieving 
triey are regarding tlie way of salvation when delusions" or evil are 
f illy embraced and firmly believed under the cloak of right, what 
can be expected but results most fatal? (4oneI gone! i'orever, unless 
we are saved like Paul, thi-ough ignorance and unbelief, which 
Avas caused by the tradition of liis fathers Imt woe is pronounced 
Fgainst those that liave eyes to see and will not see. AYhat will 
become of those m.en of great mental ability, and that ability asso- 
ciated with tlie grand science of this Avorld or earth, and without 
coiisideration and conmion sense thinkirig and. foUoAved after the 
rianners, fashions, styles and habits of this vain earth, and taught 
t'iousarids to folloAV after the same footsteps? They have not only 
got their OAvn sins heaped upon tliem but they have multiplied 
thousands, heaped upon them that they may Aveep and hoAvl OA'er 
the shrieks and cries of tlie inistaught in this earth looking back an^ 
see Avliere they ought to have taken the divine Avord for the man oi; 
their 'counsel instead of vain men that foUoAved after mammoiK 
i::Ien and women could and should examine into their case and 



HKLPS TO THIXKINC;. 



riiem.selves and try the case by the divine word vv h.ieh was left on 
record that every man might be abk' to look into his case by flu- 
word, as there is no other way on earth by which men aii'l women 
may be able to try tJK'ii* case, leaving vain men to walk alone, and\ 
when they see that they are not honored by a grand audience, that 
loiwT thunder like call will not be heariL The true word is that 
the gifts and callings are ^vithout repentance, hence they continued 
though they may be naked, cold, hungry, tired, persecuted, whij)- 
])ed, imprisoned, dishonored, or stoned to death, they had an eye 
single to God to the accomplishment of this task. 

1 have sj)ent years studiously reading the Divine Word with all 
the prayer that my understanding was able to read with, devoting 
all my time to the divme word that I could trust that God would 
nnravel such, things to me as would be good for the soul, andwoidd 
redov.ni to good to all the listening ears to my work, as I earnestly 
desire that no maii take my word for anything, but to take the gos- 
j)el of Ghrist which is and will be an anchor to the soul of every 
com]n*eliendir*g reader. As to my doctrines I have none only the 
nake<l tvnil] (>f Cln-ist, ^^hich I know that every man and woman 
on this earth that take it anrl take it alone, from any and eyevy 
man (m this earth will stand. I love the doctrines of Christ, and 
thaid^is be to (xod I hate the doctrines of men and pray to God that 
tliey may all be shipwrecked and torn down. I have industriously 
tried to impart to all reasonable m(n and a^ omen, not to follow after 
\'ain men in anything pertaining to God. I "will add, that in all I 
have written, I have had mainly in view the beneiit of the whole race 
of . people, seeing we have all run estray after the doc- 
trines of vain persons who have been following after their own van- 
ity and love of mannnon. If this should be instrumental in point- 
ing out clearly to the minds of thinking people, that the way of 
salvation is only in the teaching of Christ. We understand that 
rliere are many regenerated people that are standing in error 
from traditional teaching which has been ever since tlie law was 
handed down from Mount Sinai, to A'ain man, but God\s divine 
preachers did not follow after their natural man, but walked and 
talked after the spirit, .and wrote after tlie sph'it, or understanding. 
Then' the christian having a listening ear, he is 'anxious to know 
.md obey the truths, ]V[ay God m His iniinite wisdom and mercy 
:iccbmpanY this effort to do a'ood with TTis rich and lioundino- mcM-- 
<-v. Amen, nmen. ^ A. W. SMITH. 



HELPS TO THINKIXG. 
HISTORY OF MY LIFE AND EXPERIENCE. 



As I have been writing on the subject of tradition, both reli- 
gion sl}^ and poHtically, and in my way tried to show the great evil 
of its. followers, and, at the same time, we are all, more or less, sub- 
ject to fall in line with all manner of fashions, customs, styles and 
habits, we are creatures of imitation. AYe fall in line with our sur- 
roundings, from our cradles and have never thought but what it 
was from principle that we are, what we are, therefore it is very 
necessary that we look into the origin of our fashions and habits 
and see what our practices and customs originated from. 

Now, in order to show something of what tradition has done for me 
throughout my life, I will endeavor to write a short and brief histo- 
ry of my life and travels on this earth. 

I was born in Gilmer county, in the State of Georgia, on the 13th 
day of May, 1834. I was of poor parentage and up to iive years 
old I was more or less among the Indians which were known as 
the Cherokees, and I was taught, when small, that the Indian -w^as 
'<l, savage creature, consequently, I was afraid of them, and that dis- 
position of fear is more or less in me yet, whilst there is no more 
danger in a civilized Indian than there is in a white man, but that 
Vv^as the tradition of my parents, and in the year 1839, when I was 
:i little turned into my sixth j^ear, the Lord saw proper to take 
my father to his long home and leave my mother with four little 
children and destitute of any of the goods of' this world; but thank 
(xod, she had a good nerve and a sti;ong resolution; She went to 
work with her own hands and made all her little ones work that 
were able. I was the second child and oldest boy, and the year 
that I was seven and very small too, she hired me out at two dol- 
lars per month Avhere I got my board, in place of keeping me in my 
rags sitting around the tire, playing with my toes in the ashes, half 
starved, like a great many of similar sized children are kept, and 
some a great deal older are raised up in their idleness and laziness, 
half starved and ignorant, and by her own industry, and the hire of 
me, she was able to keep plenty to eat and warm clothing for her- 
self and children. I was permitted to go and see my mother and 
little brothers and sisters every one or two weeks on Saturday 
evenings, and when Sunday evening came, my mother w^ould say, 
well, my son, you must go along back to your hQme and be a good 
boy, and work like a man, and help me make a living for the chil- 
dren. I well remember the throbs of my heart, and would turn to 
my mother and say, mama, I do not want to go. Yes, but, my son, 
you must go. I am not able to keep you all somethi:^g to eat and 
wear unless you help. But sometimes I would suffer to be whip- 
ped before I would start to my hii'ed home. And after my mother 
would force me off with a hickory, she would then sit down in 
tears and weep over her desolate condition and ask God to show 
her and help her raise her little fatherless children; but she took 
care not to tell me of her sympathy for me until I was grown. She 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 



knew it' I had any understanding of her sympathy that it would 
take four times the stripes to make me go back to my plafce of hire. 

I only mention these circumstances in order to encom-age hun- 
dreds, yea, thousands, of poor widows, who are left in a similar con- 
dition of my mother, whilst none are left any poorer than she was, 
and 3^ou see at once if she had suffered sympathy for her little fath- 
erless children to come in she would have ruined her prosperity 
and ruined the industry of her children. I thank my God and 
thank my mother to-day that I was raised up to close work, llea- 
sonable work never hurt anybody that was in reasonable health; 
nor neither does it hurt the feelings of any one that is raised up to 
close work, for they fall in line with their tradition, though there 
are many that drop out of labor when they become to be theu* 
own man and try something else for a living, thinking that it will 
l^e more honorable, and when a failure is ascertained, it is some- 
times hard to get a man back to his old tradition. Now, right 
here, I want to say to all the mothers, who are left with fatherless 
children to raise, never let your sympathy run away with your bet- 
ter informed judgment; but make your children wqrk like turks — 
that is your duty and that is their duty — and when you hu-e them 
'out alwavs hire them to some o-ood, honest man, and tell him to 
make them work, and if they need the hickory to put it on them 
and never listen to s}anpathetic tales and take them aAvay; if j^ou 
do you liave ruined your child and hurt youi* prosperity. Now, 
there are thousands of orphan boys that are kept about home from 
seven to fifteen years old doing no good and having but little to 
eat or wear, when, if. they were kept hired out closely, they would 
make plenty for the whole family and learn industrious habits that 
will be good for them as long as they live. I hear one woman say 
"I can't scatter my children around over the settlement to work for 
A. B. and C. — the poor little fellow is too little and he has no fath- 
er and I can't stand it to push him out," when it is the very making 
of him or them, as the case may be. 

You see that I am on a side track or have varied a little from 
the subject, but my whole heart's desire is to do all the good I can 
to the laboring people and especially the poor and destitute ones. 
But now back to my own footsteps. I was a hii-eling until my 13th 
year, then my mother saw proper to marry again which was con- 
trary to my feelings, as I did not want to come under a step-father, 
though he was a sober, civil and industrious man, and I wearied 
along for about two years then I left my step-father, rather, through 
by mother's consent, for I loved and feared my mother; but she, 
seeing that it would be rather unpleasant for me and my step-fath- 
er both, as I was a kind of stubborn boy, consented that I might go 
and hire out for my living, which I did at the age of fifteen years, 
without any education or property. I wearied along about two 
years and gathered a little, but very little. 

I seldom ever thought of dying or making any arrangements to 
meet death, along in those days. Perhaps, in my 17th year I be- 



6 HELPS TO THINKING. 

came coiijsiderably concerned about myself and was of the impres- 
sion that if I died then that I was kinder lost, as I had always been 
told that there was a hell for the mean people and a heaven for the 
good. I could not see that I was much good or that I was much 
mean, for I never swore any nor got drunk or dissipated in anyway. 
However, in those days it was very fashionable to have frolicks or 
old fashioned dances, in which I participated, and I was taught 
that no body but sinners took a part in dancing, and that it dis-> 
pleased God to dance, so I thought as I never dissipated in any 
way or done anything that was wrong except to dance, that I 
would quit that and I would be all right and would be in favor with 
God; for I could not see anything wrong that I done except to 
dance; so I quit that, and thought that I must be as good a fellow 
as there was in the coiintry, and better tnan a great many of them, 
l)Ut still, I did not feel that I wanted to join the church, but that I 
would try and read the Testament, but Avas not a good reader; but I 
believed that there was something wrong about .me, but did not 
know what it was. So loving the sport and company of young 
people, I was tlrawn off into the worldly pleasures and fun for a 
long time and giving my eternal interest very little thought, and 
took a considerable interest in myself and concluded that I wanted 
to go to school, which I did, and made a reasonable effort to learn, 
and got a little smattering knowledge of spelling, reading, writing 
and arithmetic. I was then arOund the town of Marietta, Ga., where 
there was a good deal of reckless dissipation; but I, by some cause 
or other, God only knows, stuck to the tradition of my mother's 
teaching, which, was to avoid all dissipation of every kind and fasli- 
ion. I Avas then at a ripe age to lead into dissipation, and had no 
father to control me, and was absent from my mother the most of 
my time and hired among ruffians on the railroads and in factories, 
but trying to save my money to enable me to go to school again, or 
travel around over the country. I thought then that I wanted to 
travel all over the world. If I had been in the church then, I have 
no doubt, but what I would have had a call to go to China to 
preach, as that anxiety to travel and see the world and play out of 
work and make one's self a conspicuous fellow, are the kind of calls 
that all those that ever have gone to China to preach have had or 
ever will have. The love of honor and the anxiety of sceneries 
and the hatred to work is a loud caller to the pulpit these days. 

Well, you see that I am on a side track again, I will again try to 
get back to my footsteps. In the fall of 1853, when I was nine- 
teen years of age, I took a notion to go back east, which I did and 
8pent one year in Yorkville, S. C, a hireling, and during the year 
1854, I was taken sick with the flux and was nigh unto death and 
thought it very probable that I would die, and after I came to the 
conclusion that I had to die, I remember that I thought if I had my 
ra^other by my bed side, who had given me so much good counsel, 
that I would be willing to die, and I do not remember that I had 
anv trouble that regards mv future welfare, for, at that time, I did 



HELPS TO THINKIXG. 



not practice any thing that was a violation to the civil laws or mor- 
ality, or to the laws of God, so far as I understood God's laws. 
But it pleased God to suffer my health restored, and during the 
time I was in that town I became troubled about my condition as 
to eternity, and was made to try to pray almost day and night 
when I was not asleep. I remember one night of being up and 
down nearly all night trying to pray and did not know how to 
pray or what to say, or did not know what it was that I was lack- 
ing, so I resolved on the next morning, if I lived, that I would go 
to the book store and buy me a prayer book and then I would be 
all right a^ to praying. 80 I contented myself and went to sleep, 
but 2>unctually next morning I bought my book and selected the 
prayer tliat I thought suited my case and memorized it 
and prayed it day by day and night by night; but found no good 
derived from my memorized prayer, nor neither did any body else 
ever derive a blessing from God by a memorized prayer, nor never 
will, for that is the devil praying. But that was all the training 
that I had had in the doctrines of God's word, for mv mother nev- 
er joined the church until after I did; but she was very strict in 
teaching me the civil and upright law, and during the year of 1854, 
I was thrown in the company with a favorite and religious uncle, 
who was a graduate of science, and as I was an orphan boy this 
uncle took a great interest in me and counseled me a great deal in 
reference to making something out of myself and instructed me to 
save my money and try to educate myself and to be studious. He 
succeeded in stimulating me to that point, which increased my in- 
dustry and economic habits. I was alw^ays ready to fall in line with 
my uncle in everything. However, he was a Presbyterian and be- 
lieved in sprinkling or pouring for baptism, and I could not fall in 
line with him in that matter, though he was very liberal in his reli- 
gious views and we got along happily and pleasantly, for I loved 
him like a father and felt like he was a father to me. I would have 
been proud for him to have lived, but it pleased God to call him in 
1801 into eternity and I feel like he is in the second heaven or par- 
adise awaiting, viz: The adoption of the new body that Christ has 
promised at the resurrection when he may be made perfect in the 
third heaven and see Grod as He is and be like Him. Although his 
body was taken to the cold, cold grave to sleep until the resurrec- 
tion, his counsel and admonition was warm and fresh in my 
memory and is until this day, and I believe that he is receiving his 
reward for his counsel that he gave to me and his examples that he 
laid before me, and not only to me but to all with whom he was 
thrown aniOBg, Whilst his precepts were good and free to every- 
body, his examples always corresponded, and all mens precepts and 
examples should correspond. 

Well, back to my own footsteps: In the fall of 1854, I steered 
my course back to my old tramping ground in old. Georgia, where 
I could behold the face of my old mother, brothers and sisters, and 
made my arrangements to go to school for the ensuing year 1855, 



HELPS TO THINKING. 



though I knew my money Avas short, but I thought I wouki go un- 
til it was exhausted and in the fall of the same year I found that 
my ijioney had gave out. I was solicited to try to teach a school 
near my mother which I accepted, though gi-eatly feeling my ina- 
bility to do so, but I felt like I must do something to recruit my 
money that I might continue going to school and I continued to be 
very studious during the time of my teaching and perhaps I ad- 
vanced as fast as any student that was in . my school, and I tried 
to be very industrious in my school in order to advance my pupils 
as fast as possible, that I might do my duty and please the patrons, 
which I succeeded in doing as well as could be expected for my 
ability. 

But I am about to pass by one interest that I had in myself. In 
the spring of 1855, while I was in school I became A^ery much con- 
cerned in my eternal welfare again, though I never did impart to 
anybody on earth anything about these troubles. I kept them to 
myself — no one knew my thoughts on that subject but God. I had 
class-mates and mess-mates and it pressed me to keep up with my 
class-mates; though pressed as I was it did not relieve me of the in- 
terest I had in my eternal salvation and would steal off from them 
night and morning to some secreted spot to inquire of God what 
ray trouble was and to know of Him what I must do to obtain a 
seat in heaven, Avhile I was as moral and civil a boy as there was 
in the country, I still thought I had something to do to make my- 
self a better man, or in other words, I thought that I had to pray 
and work myself into favor with God. But I continued to investi- 
gate my case day and night, although I had to get my lessons and 
keep up with my class-mates, and I desired to please the land-lady 
where I was boarding, as she was a good woman and had to do her 
own work and cooking and I was always ready to bring her water 
and prejjare her wood, consequently she was good and kind to me; 
but amid all these things, I Avas still burdened with a duty or inter- 
est towards God — hence, I continued to go out on a high black- 
jack ridge, sometimes down by a big rock, and sometimes doAvn by 
an old log, and sometimes down by the root of a tree, but al- 
ways returning void of any relief and becoming substantuated that 
there was no help or remedy for me. Finally, one evening in May, 
after returning from school with a heavy heart, I meditated over 
my case and decided that there was no use of going up on the 
black-jack ridge any more, for in ^lace of getting better I had got- 
ten worse, finding no relief wh^ttever. So there was a spring 
in the opposite direction to where I had been Sfoing with a hollow 
beloAV with a heavy, thick forest of bushes, which made it, dark and 
shady. So, after I had returned from school with a broken and 
despaired heart, I concluded I Avould try the lonely and dark hol- 
low, and if I found no help there I would give it up and make the 
best thing out of hell that I could. So I started Avith a dowuAvard 
head, feeling like it was a useless trip. I remember passing on 
down by the spring into the dense forest, but as to how far I went 



HELPS TO THINKING. 9 

down the dark hollow I do not know, neither do I remember how 
long I remained down there, or what I clone while there. Whether 
I .stood up, walked about or got down on my knees, for it was 
dark hours with me. I remember returning towards the house, but 
the first I remember I was above the spring trying to sing an old 
song that was common in those days: "What wonderous love is 
this. Oh, my soul," feeling that the dark hollow was worth more to 
me than all the black-jack ridges in the world. I then remembered 
many places that I had petitioned to God. I remembered my pe- 
tition to Him jvhen I was a hold of my axe handle cutting saw 
stock, and also remembered my petition to Him between the plow 
handles, and a hold of the hoe handle, and I remember my petition 
to Him while on my bed, and by my bed-side, and on my horse, 
and on the road side, and in strange lands, but none of these places 
seemed to have lent its yielding hand to me like the dark hollow In 
Habersham county, in the State of Georgia, and on the premises of 
Starling Yerwood, with whom I was boarding at that time, but 
still never at any time made known to them my troubles, nor 
neither did I at that time make known my joys. I have always 
been a little peculiar to the most of people. It was at that time 
and is yet, so far as I am acquainted common to call up what they 
call mourners. Although, I was in great trouble I never desired 
to go up as a mourner that I might be seen by men, but desired to 
go to a lonely grove and in secrecy, whilst the tradition of the 
country would have taken me up in public places. When I look 
back to my past life and see what my surroundings have been and 
then considering how little I have fallen in with the fashions, man- 
ners, styles and habits, I feel thankful that it has been as little as 
it has; but still, sorry that I have fallen into line any with the 
fashions, manners, styles and doctrines of men, and God being my 
helper, I will be solid to the balance of my days, and keep my 
conscience clear of tradition, both religiously and politically. 

Now, as I am trying to keep up both sides, (that is my civil, 
financial and religious travel) I will now go back to the fall or win- 
ter of 1855, about the time that my school terminated. This fa- 
vorite uncle that I have been speaking of came in from South Car- 
olina and got up a large school for which he needed an assistant 
teacher a portion of the time and he having an interest in me, gave 
me my tuition and board that year, which was 1856, to assist him; 
but I was a close student all the time, and at the termination of 
that school I began to feel able to teach authography, writing, 
grammar and geography, and in the year 1857, the people in my 
old settlement built me a good school House, and made me up a 
good school, and I taught two years, 1857 and 1858, without the 
loss of a single day, and I will mention right here, that in the year 
1853, I worked with the hoe, plow and axe, without the loss of -a 
single day except the 4th day of July, which was common in those 
days to celebrate. I could prove it if necessary, for the man whom 
I worked for is still living in the State of Alabama. I only men- 



10 HELPS TO THINKING. 

tion these things to show the majority of the people that there vv^a.s, 
or is, too much time lost, and the same parties grumbling at the 
hard times, when they make. the hard times themselves by their 
own idleness and laziness. I have always made it a point to loose 
no time when it could be avoided, and have alwaj-s made it a poir.t 
not to spend a dollar v/-hen it could be avoided, and act honorably, 
for a 'dollar saved is as good as a dollar made. 

Now about the years 1857 up to 1860, I had my consent that I 
would take Paul's advice and not marry, though I took a pleasure 
in mixing and mingling my voice ^^itli tha young ladies of my 
country, but my greatest interest was to accumulate* some of the 
goods of this world, and did succeed in accumulating a few hun- 
dred dollars every year after T quit gping to school until I married. 

Now, in the ^.^ear 1859, my health being inipaired from a seden- 
tary life in the school room, I devoted the most of my time in 
trading, mostly in stock, though, in fact anything that I could see 
any money in, I was ready to tackle if I thought it ^^as honoral)le 
f:n;l right. Though there were many thi]igs that I thought vras 
right by the tradition of those of whom I was associated with in 
my trading, and a good portion of whom were claiming to be God's 
children and followers; but after riper age came upon me, and I 
commenced weighing my acts by God's divine law, w.iicli was writ- 
ten by His divine Apostles, I found many things that my tradition 
taught me to'be right, was, emphatically wrong. I was taught by 
as honorable men as there was in the country and a goodly number 
of them church-p'oino; men, that it was rig-htto make all I could (^if 
of my fellow man in what was called fail' trading, just so I dll n ): 
steal or tell bare-faced lies, it was all right. It v,"as r,o diffe -ea .-..^ 
] low much cheat and fraud there was about anytli'.n:?; I had if I 
could get it oif witliout telling direct lies from answering dire,-t 
questions, I was taught that it v>^as all I'ight, and it was no trouble 
for us to want to believe that to be right, because it is profitable to 
get off a one-'eyed iiorse that is only worth $75 for ^$100^ and it is 
profitable to get off a bellowsed horse for $75 that is worth only $40, 
and it is prohtable to get off a horse that lias the' spavin for $150 
that is only worth ^1^1 00, and it is profitable to get off an animal 
that will not work for 175 or a ^lOO that is hardly worth anything 
to the owner, etc., and we all know that this is the practice of most 
trading men, who are making it a business to trade for a living or 
proht, M'hilst I am now able to inform you that you will find all this 
to be wrong, if you will lay down personal iuterest and weigh 
your acts by God's divine law, that has been written b}^ the divine 
Apostles. Hence you will ' find that your acts lip.ve been based 
upon the acts and practices of men intead of God, and at the same 
time we have been blessed with a plain- English written way-bill 
from under the hand of the divinity of God, the father of all right- 
eousness. I have shown you my raising, teaching and practice that 
you may compare it. with your raising, teaching and practice, and if 
this has been yours, God help us all to be able to lay it dowa and 



HELPS TO TIIINKI:N G. 1 1 

take the teaching that "wiil stand in this world ana in the world to 
come. 

KoAV, as I am not only trying to give a brief liis^tory of my civil 
and :[inancial footsteps, but, also, of my .religious history, I will 
now go back to the fall of 1855, which was four or five months af- 
ter I ended my religious experience. During these four or live 
months I was in a state of preverication, sometimes doubting my 
love to God being the true love of God's righteousness and tryhig 
^0 pray to God to make me strong in His faitli, that I might for- 
f^ake the world and boldly attach myself to what I understood to 
be the christia'n orcraiiization — that I mio-ht help fio-ht the devil. 

So in xVugust or September, 1855, I got my consent to go 
to tlie church with my little feeble story and tell it to them — they 
heard it and received me, vchicli was the first one of the family that 
Iiad ever presented themselves to the cliurcli; but during the same 
meeting my mother, brother and one sister followed pursuit and v>'e 
WQve all baptized and giA-en the right hand of fellowship. I re- 
member the prayer of the old -pastor of the church as we walke;! 
out of the water in which we was baptized. My young brother 
and I ^valked in together Tvdth the old father whose name was Sisk, 
and after ])a2jtizing us we all walked out together, and the old pas- 
tor uttering the vrords: "I pray, oh Lord, that these young men 
may boldly declare thy name when I am o-one from this vforld." I 
often thought of his prayer for I believed %'ery strong in him as it - 
is YQvy common among us as a people, and. I believed that he was 
called to Dreach and I believed that I would be called, but have 
never been able to hear the call, vrhilst it is probable that my 
brother heard a little vrhisper; perhaps, he was like I was, believed 
very strong in the old father that baptized us, and was listening 
\'ery attentively for the call, and that inward duty that all of God's 
lovers feel toward Hyii makes many feel like they were called to 
the ministry, vdien' they ought to know that if God required a man 
to do a thing that he would lit and .qualify him for the business he 
wanted him to do. Common sense will teach anybody that much. 
But I was like all others, I fell in with the teaching of men and 
therefore believed in men's doctrines; but, thank God, I have been 
able to see that there is but one doctrine, that will stand and that is 
the doctrines of .Christ and the Apostles, and I Would to God that 
all the doctrines of men and the divine books that have got their 
divinit}'' from men who. claim to be doctors of divinity, were in the 
ocean, that there might be none other book to read on divinity but 
Christ's own divine word, then I could have some hope of the peo- 
ple getting right, for when there is' but one way taught that is called 
right — all the followers of that way would be right and I would to 
God that every so-called religious paper that' is in the world was 
l)urned into ashes, that they may not deceive and di*aw off the ten- 
der minds of the rising posterity from the true word of God, that 
the doctrines of men which are leading people hellwardly might be 
foro^otten and kent exthict in all time to come. 



12 HELPS TO THINKING. 



I can look back a few years and see where I was drinking tradi- 
tion down like sweet cider and I was porfectly honest in my tradi- 
tion and thought the preachers were good people, and thought it was 
right to pay them and keep them up in their laziness, pride and 
vanity. Also, I thought it was right to fit up men and send them 
to China to give repentance to tjie so-called heathens, when com- 
mon sense aiid honest thinking would have taitght me better; but I 
did not know how to let loose traditional practices that had been 
practiced by my forefathers. I never thought of there being any 
other way any more than I think there are two suns to shine on us, 
and at the same time there is just as much sense in hiring the devil 
to work for God as there is to hire men to work for God. The 
devil connot wox'k against himself, neither can men work against 
themselves, and if God had have wanted preachers in China he 
would have called his preachers in China that they might have 
been able to speak in their own language that they might be un- 
derstood, and any man that will suffer himself to be governed by 
common sense could not help from knowing these to be facts. But 
if I had been raised to believe that a cow was a horse all the scrip- 
ture in the world could not make me believe anything else, unless I 
could lay down the tradition that made me believe that a cow was a 
horse; and if I had been raised to believe that God was unjust, the 
scriptures could never make me believe anything else unless I 
could lay down the tradition that made me believe that He was un- 
just. Hence, we cannot believe two different things at the same 
time, nor two different teachers at the same time, unless they teach 
the same thing, and God and men never taught the same thing un- 
til God made men to be supernatural. 

Now, for many y^^ars after I joined the church I believed that a 
preacher could show^j, person how to get religion, and believed he 
could tell me how to get religion; I was made*to believe that I could 
get religion whenever I got good in the notion to get it — never think- 
ing that a man never got in the' notion to get the religion of 
Jesus Christ until he already had it. The trouble is, we all have 
too much religion for our good, but it is like Paul, it was the reli- 
gion of men which was the Pharisees, and we have too much of the 
religion of men and not enough of the religion of Jesus Christ. So 
it is true that preachers can show any one how to get religion and 
tell them hoAv to get religion, but it is the religion of men or of pas- 
sion, which is of the devil, and that kind of religion the preachers 
can tell and show all about how to get it; for that which belongs to 
men they can control, and that which belongs to God no one but 
God can control or teach it. No man can teach of God only what 
he has taught of himself — yet I have been silly enough to believe 
that great men could teach all about God and Godly things, and 
that they could teach the hearts of men which I have heard de- 
clared in the pulpit by the champion of Northeast Georgia, and 
others of his staff, which is as grand a falsehood as ever was de- 
clared on earth; and a common clod- hopper ought to know better; 



HELPS TO THINKING. 13 

yet, I have been fool enough the biggest part of my life to be gull- 
ed into such beliefs by the grand fooU noblemen of my country, 
who I have been raised up with. I only name these things and 
travels of my life in order to cause my readers to go to thinking, 
hoping that they will not be gulled into false opinions as I have 
been, or rather the whole mass of us have been gulled into untruth- 
fulness, and praying and trusting that we may be able to guard 
against such in the future. 

In the spring of 18G0, I was still trading and little did I think of 
ever marrying, but unexpectedly met up with Miss M. E. Keni- 
more and was impressed to extend my acquaintance with her which 
I did, but thought it was all for pass time; but in a few months my 
notion was changed and I concluded I would marry, and on the 
18th day of September, 1860, I married and as soon as I could 
went to farming and made a crop every year with my OAvn hands; 
but still continued to trade through the fall and winter season; but 
the war commencing in 1861 and a great number of the farmers 
going to the war I soon saw the scarcity of bread stuff, hence, I saw 
a great necessity of making all the corn that I - could. I, therefore, 
put in very close time in the farm during the war for I felt that 
there was a duty for everybody and I felt proud to have the privi- 
lege of staying at home and making all the produce I could; but to 
tell the whole truth I w^as a great deal more anxious to stay out of 
the war, than I was to work, and I was certain I did not want to 
go to the war. I had always understood that bullets had no eyes 
and I knew that one was as apt to hit me as anybody else, so I 
wearied along about two years and kept out — finally I began to 
think that there was no chance to keep out of the war any longer; 
but I learned that the Governor retained a portion of the county 
officers at home and seeing a vacancy to fill, it was very inducing, 
hoping that I could succeed in getting the oflrice. So I made an 
energetic effort and succeeded in getting a position that kept me 
out of the service, and, I am sure, I would not have taken ten 
thousand dollars for my county position at that time and as soon as 
the war was over I was ready to resign and did so. It was fash- 
ionable for people to go to the war at that time, but that was one 
of the times I did not care anything about the fashion, although I 
was rather a young man, I preferred to be an old fashioned fellow 
and stay at home. I never fell into any war traditions at all, and 
I saw a great many fashionable people that did not care anything 
about the fashion of the war, just so they could stay out of it, and 
at the same time many of them were the accessors to getting up the 
fight or war. I view a man to be a very sorry one that will get up 
a fight and want somebody else to do the fighting. When this war 
was being contemplated, I fought secession with all the ability that 
I had, and did it openly and boldly, although it was not looked 
upon as being honorable. However, the ones that were the leaders 
in secession were the high toned, grand and honorable fools who 
thought they were something and was nothing. They were the 



14 ■ HELPS TO TIIIXiyXG. 

ones tliat got up tlie trouble ayd iight and then pushed the poor \i\- 
borhig mau in front of the battle. It is true that some of .the rich 
and secession men went to the front Avlth the poor man, but they 
were scattering. T was able to see at the outset that it was the 
rich man's war and the poor man's light, and I did not intend to do 
any of the lighting as long as- 1 could help it. I never fell hi with 
the secessionist, until T saw that I was obliged to do so. It was not 
from princij^le that I fell in with the sesessionist, but it Avas policy, 
seeing that it was the best for me and my family and my home, and 
j)U)ther country, I linally became warm in the cause or interest of 
the South as all my kindred and h;terestwere here. I, therefore, did 
all I could in behalf of the South, although I saw that there were 
thovisands of the rich men feasting at liome and all the ])oor men 
suffering in the vrar, and their families sulteiir.g at home", and 
amidst the rich men who were exempt from the war from haying 
ov owning negroes, vrhich I knew was yery unfair and unjust, and 
furthermore, I knew that the poor man neyer made that law, 
neither did he have any hand in making it. There was alsj an- 
C'tlier very unjust law made by the rich man or nobk^nnn, aiul that 
was substituting one man foi" another; for the riclrman well knew 
that the poor one could not hire a substitute because he was not 
able to pay the hire, for it generally took a right goo 1 pile to hire 
a man to expose his person to the no-eyed bullets, unless he saw he 
YN'ould soon have to go any way. Whilst I say that tliis substitute 
huy was unjust, I acknowledge that I took shelter under it, as I got 
a favorable opportunity to get one; at the same time I would hav.' 
opposed such a law had I ])een at the making of it, un.less I liad 
been a* rich man; but as tlie shelter was made I was /iis])osed to 
take refuge under it. 

AVe also see that the civil law gives officers large salaries, whicli 
is wrong and was made in conteniplation of l^enehtting the rich or 
nobleman; n.ot withstanding, if I was mi oihcer I would gladly re- 
ceive the big salary. The fault is in the ones that made ■ the law. 
There is only one way to make the laws to beneiit the laboring 
(dass of people and that is for the laboring men to make the law 
themselves and nobody else; for there is nothing on earth that can 
he agahist itself, therefore; it is invpossible for the rich or nobleman 
- to make a law that will benerit the poor laboring man, for lie can- 
not be agahit himself, therefore, I did iu)t fault anybody for not 
wanting to go to the war except those that got up the war. That 
class of people ought to have boldly gone to ,jthe front and shoul- 
dered arms, whilst those of us that were union men could not be 
expected to Mght against a thing that we were opposed to, and 
tliey should not have ])een faulted for wanting to keep out of the 
war if they could do it honorably. Xow, whilst I regretted to 
leave my family and regretted to face the bullets, I fully intended 
to go if I had not found a getting out place. At one time I had 
Tuy rations cooked to go to Richmond, A^a., but afterwards, I saw 
an opportunity^ to rescue myself from that horrible placj of bondage 



HELPS TO THINKI^N G. 1 ) 

;v!i(l danger, therefore, I tliouglit it was right tvo take .shelter iin(h'i- 
tlie law wliieli I was subjected and was foreed to comply with. 
1'here was a portion of the Union men that would not yield thch 
pi'ineiple; lienee, they acted against their better infornKMl judge- 
ment and stood out to the bitter end which .de^-troyed their jjeaee, 
their prosperity, and in manv' instances destroyed themselves and 
I'rought destruction upon, their families, which brought aboi'it 
a feeling of hostilitv' with many of us in Xorth Georgia, So, after 
1 had wearied along through the war wit!) my family and lost th.e 
lao.st of what I had, I did not feel satisiied to remain in this part of 
tlie country where there vvas so much discord and hostility, hence, 
made my way down into Florida and settled on a farm and went 
to farming and continued to trade on stock. This was in the fall 
of 18(55. I soon became very well satisiied in. that country aiul 
f idling in line with their manners, styles and habits, visiting their 
tisli-fry picnics, etc., con.sequently, not thinking but little about 
eter]uty as good health and prosperity was abounding and the 
<-ountry and its maimers and fashions all being new to me, I was 
weU en.tertained. Hence, whe]'e peace, comfort, pleasm-e an^l 
j)iei]ty abounds, eternity is always thought but little about with any 
<.>f us, notwithstanding, I took my church letter with me to the 
countiy and attached myself to the church there and attended ser- 
^ices occasionally and paid the preacher a little in order to make 
myself a little social and to make the appearance to the churcli 
])eople that I had a little religion, and I was quite civil and sober, 
tiu^refore, I made a pretty good impression and as to being civil 
and sober 1 never knew how to be any other way in my life. If a 
3nan is civil and sober and will go to church ^ccasioiially and pay 
the preacher pretty well, he is a first-class christian in all counti'ies. 
l>ut he may be a civil man and industrious — a strictly lionest, sober 
man and belong to the church and visit it occasionally, butjdoes not 
])ay the preacher a]]y, he is considered at a vei'y low ebb in th-.- 
elmrcli, jbit if he is a man. that gets drunk occasionally and 
swears sometimes, and cheats and swindles his neighbors occasion- 
ally, and goes to church pretty punctually, and takes the preachers 
liome with him and feeds them Avell, and throws in liberally to suj)- 
port the lazy devils, he is a lirst-class member, and it is impossible 
to turn him out of the church; hence, you see this is the kind of 
religion that is abroad in the land and country, and ever will ])e as 
]ong as we follow the so-called preachers and their * doctrines in 
jdace of Christ and the Apostles. If every religious pa})er in the 
world, and every religious book except the Holy l>ible, were burn- 
ed up, we would then have a l)a])d of God's disciples in our sweet 
union,- unless we continued to follow after the corruptable so-called 
})reachers. 

Well, back to my own footsteps. After living in Florida two 
years and accumulating over 81000, and myself and family en j,oy- 
ing the best of health, and having made a pretty extensive and fa- 
vorable impression and acquaintance with my surroundings, from 



16 HELPS TO THINKING. 

the fact that I run the Ime of policy — not opposing anything or any- 
body but little; hence, trying to make myself popular, as that was 
and is the line of the world. So, prosperity always brings about a 
roaving mind. I began to w^ant to do better or find a fatter place, 
and my mind began to lead out West, and I began to write to 
friends and relatives there, making inquiry about the country; and 
they, of course, wrote back encouragingly, as everybody will na- 
turally try to get people to follow them, no difference how sickly, 
no difference how rough, no difference how dissipated, we want our 
friends to come to us, and will write encouragingly to them and 
tell all the sweet part and leave the bitter behind, and, indeed, it 
looks like if we were to go to hell Ave would want others, or our 
friends, to come to ufe. However, we see that the rich man did not 
want his brothers to come there or to come to him, but it may be 
that we are not as good as the rich man was, for we see no accoimt 
of any wrongs in him, only he enjoyed his riches and did not ex- 
tend his heart to the poor, and, perhaps, he came by his riches 
honestly and many of us cheat, swindle and defraud for ours. I am 
of the opinion that he was more honorable than any of us, or he 
would have wanted everybody to come where he was. This will 
do for you to think about a little. 

Well, back to the track. My friends and relatives gave me good 
encouragement and I began to make my arrangements to go to a 
better country, and I began sacrificing my property in order to 
carry out my determined resolutions to go West. I sacrificed the 
largest part of my property one-half, expecting to go out West and 
get it back by hat-fulls. So after remaining in Florida three years 
in December, 1868, I pulled out for the West with a wife and four 
children, and when I landed at Fort Smith, Ark., my pocket had 
leaked $300, and I sacrificed my property to go, over $1000. 
Now, I am out 11300 to get to paradise, where the town and coun- 
try were a mixture of Irish, Dutch, Jews and Indians and cruninal 
people, from all parts of the United States; but I did not start with 
a view of coming back, therefore, I went to looking around to get 
some kind of a location and try to turn my hell into a heaven if I 
could. I knew that my wife would have been in a complete hell 
but for the confidence she had in me. She believed that I could 
see further than she could, which gave some consolation and I 
knew that it was more than I dare do to show any des- 
pondency or disparagement^ at all, and my brothers wife, who was 
along with us, was frowning upon me for leading them West, for 
she fully believed that I was the cause of her husband coming. I 
suppose that was a fact and I continued to ride the waves of a dis- 
encouraged heart and boldly praised the country and its appear- 
ance and tell them all that this was the country I had been looking 
for. Finally, we found a little place to rent and settled and went 
to work; but I was afraid to buy land and took out a few hundred 
dollars and gave to my wife and told her we would not spend that 
for anything, but would hold it to come back on if we saw we 



HELPS TO THINKING. 17 

had to come. I went to trading and made a crop and began to 
feel a little strengthened and in the fall I made a trip down 
in Texas and made a few hundred dollars on a trading expedition 
and also looking at the country and would have settled myself in 
Texas at that time if I had not been afraid of the Indians; but that 
being the case I came back to Fort Smith and concluded to buy 
laiurand make the best thing of the West that I could. I bought 
about four hundred acres and went in debt for some of it and set- 
tled down and went to work like a turk improving it and still 
thinkhig that I would make a big thing out of my land as I thought 
tliat the increase in the price of real estate wouhl be great in from 
five to ten years. Therefore, I put in with double diligence to im- 
prove my land and make a living for my family, and continued 
there for eight years and had about broken myself down at work 
;ind lived hard and dressed very plain and stayed at home, my 
wife never having the pleasure of taking a buggy ride, in the eight 
years and my children had but little privilege of going to school, 
;nid still I was not worth as much as I was the day 1 left the State 
»'f Florida to go West, where I expected to accumulate money by 
the bushel. The greatest trouble -with myself, and perhaps, it is so 
witli a majority of this world, we vrould not letAvell enough alone 
many times we would be would be all right. When 1 lived in 
Florida I worked but little and lived as well as I desii"ed to, and 
<lressed my family as well as I wished. We had as many buggy 
rides as A^■e desired and furthermore, I accumulated five or six hun- 
dred dollars every year, and still did not have sense enough to stay 
with it, or to know when I was doing well. When I went West, 
I went with the determination of being contented and staying there. 
If that had not been the case perhaps, I would not have remained 
there twelve months, for I fell short in every particular, except Ave 
had very good health. I had less pleasure, rougher society, dressed 
l)laiiier, worked harder and lived harder in the year 1870, which 
was the second year I lived there. My family never ate a buscuit 
nor never had any luxuries whatever. I could have had something 
of the sort, but felt determined to make a success, therefore, would 
not make any debts as my laud debt was hanging over me, and as 
I had to open my land I made a slow progress in paying the debt 
off; but after five or six years of hard labor expired, I began to get 
out of debt and accumulated some stock, and got my place in shape 
for some comfort, and in the year 1876, after I had gotten in easy 
ci]:cumstances with a farm very well improved and plenty of all 
kind of stock, perhaps, 150 head of sheep and some money ahead, 
I became a little restless and told my wife I would take her back 
to old Georgia, which she was proud to hear. I began then to make 
another sacrifice on my little property and finally by the spring of 
1877 I wound fip everything ready for the road back East making 
glad the heart of my wife. 

As I have said nothing about my religious walk while in the 
West, I will make a short and brief statement. When leaving the 



18 HELPS TO TPTINKTXG. 

State of Florida in 1868 I took my churcli letter, my wife also did 
the same, and I also took my demit from the ^Masonic fraternity, 
which demit lies in my trunk until this day and probably will whilst 
i live. Our church letters lay in our trlmks during the whole time 
we remained in the West. When we went West there seemed to 
be very little interest about religious matters or about eternity, 
tlierefore, as that was the tradition of that country, I, of course, 
soon fell in line with their tradition. It was very common to hunt 
liogs, sheep or cattle there on Sunday, and as, it is a great deal 
easidr for one to fall into a wrong than it is to get out of a wrong, 
!, of course, became a pretty good hand to hunt stock on Sunday, 
for it was common and it Avas popular, and that word popular, is 
the biggest thing in it; for any of us will readily fall into anything 
that is pOpidar, it makes no differenc vrho it is — a preacher sooner 
tiian anybod};- else, for that is this living. Where I bought and 
settled there was only one organized church nearer than ten miles, 
;nid that was across a small river, which was unpleasant to cross in 
tlie winter season, and I could not-see much, if any difference in 
the church people and those that were not, and, taking the whole 
surroundings into consideration, T felt no interest in joining the 
church. Soon after I settled on my place there was a churcli or- 
ganized near by and a good road to it, so I thought as soon as they 
got properly in harness I would go over and join in with them; but 
1 suppose the organized body was mostly goats and they soon 
iiorned out and bursted the thing, and I blundered along with my 
membership in my trunk throughout my whole stay in the West, 
which liked a little of being nine years. Now, my object of givhig 
my readers a history of niy Western move and my industry before 
and after moving, is to show and convince thousands of people that 
tliey had always better let A\'ell enough alone, and keep what we 
have and try to add more to it, in place of sacrificing it and spend- 
ing all we have hunting a better country: The whole thing is in 
the man. If the man is no account he need not hunt for a country 
that will make him a living by itself. If a man is lazy in Georgia, 
lie is lazy in Texas — if he is a drunkard in Georgia, he is a drun- 
kard in Texas— if he is a s})cndthrift in Georgia, he is a spend- 
tln'ift in Texas, and if he is no account in one country lie is no ac- 
count in any other country; therefore, it is all in the man at last. 

Now, after the elapse of eight or nine years in the rich and fer- 
tile Western country I gathere<l up my Hock of children and com- 
panion and got on board for the East and steered my course, right 
back to the old original tramping ground where I left in the fall of 
lSi)5, and it seemed to be a very pleasant welcome among our old 
friends and kindred amidst our old homesteads; but after viewing 
tlj^e old poor worn out lands and seeing how economical the peo- 
ple were, I ])ecaiiie a little dissatisfied with mf returning to 
the old country, notwithstanding, I knew it would not do to keep 
rolling as I knew a rolling stone gathered no moss and I thought it 
would l)e comfort to inv wife to remain near her mother, so 1 loca- 



HELPS TO tiiixkim;. i'.> 

ed ar<l ^vciit to business, consequently, soon found it was jiist as 
rasy \.o make a livino- here as it v/as in the so-called fertile West 
and wherever a man is satisfied and has a Jiome there lie had better 
stay and keej) together what he makes. 

i'ou may hear and imagine many sweets in the far and rich 
West?, but when you go and examine into the case closely, you will 
likeh^ tind two bitters to one sweet, therefore, my experience teach- 
es me to be the bust policy to continue in one country and \)v 
s;iving ajid industrious and work for the interest of the laboring 
[)eople and nobody else, for eveiybody on earth is agahist the la- 
hornig man; but ii tlie laboring man does not conttn 1 for himself 
lie will co'ue out at the little end of the horn, and, if I am not mis- 
taken., he is right now ruined-and crammed into the little end and 
no chance to get out oidy to turn his course and light out, live or 
die. If meu'^> rights are not worth contending for they are not 
^\■orth having. J>ut the great trouble of the laboring men is they 
have never had sense enough to know when they had their rights. 
They are such fools that a hungry panther could make them think 
that he was a friend to them, provided, he had on fine clothes aiid 
rould use }K)lished language; for it is an evitable fact that many a 
grand politician has made the })Oor laboring maji ])elieve that he 
■vfas some great one when, at the same time, he was destitue of 
honesty, any good princi])le — destitute of industry — destitute of any 
good morals and, in fact, destitute of everything except fine ap- 
[)arel and polished language which has led many a poor fool to de- 
struction and his children to be ser^-ahts for A-ain devils. 

But back to my own footsteps. When I returned to my own 
country, myself and wife still kept our church letters in the trunk 
for three years, which made twelve years they had remained there. 
AVe then concluded to attach ourselves to the church agahi and did 
so, and, aftt«r three more years had expired, the all-seeing Go<l that 
Ivjiows what is be^t in all thhigs, saw proper to take my compainon 
from me, after permitting her to be the mother of twelve children, 
ten of whom were living at that time. I had often thought that 1 
knew what a troubled mind was but alas! it was a mistake. I felt 
that I was forever undone and my earthly comforts ended, and see- 
ing a wonderfid responsibility of the' intei-est of nhie children rest- 
ing upon me. I ha^e never been able to control language to ex- 
press the depths of my troubled heart, but when my heart consid- 
ered I knew what could not be cured, had to be endured, I then 
asked God to give me a submissive heart and help me to be ])oth 
father and mother to the orphans, and I prayed that I might always 
keep my body into subjectio]i and might make my paths straight 
that I might not brhig a stigma on my children that wdien I 
was gone into eternit}^ that they could hold up their heads with 
[>roud hearts and say, thank God for the example and footstejts of 
my father amidst all my troubles. Shortly after the death of 
my wife, I proposed to have what has been called the funeral of 
my wife preached, though, a fool I was for it, but it Avas, and has 



20 HELPS TO THINKIxVG. . 

been the fashion all of my life and I had fallen into the tradition of 
those whom I was raised among; nevertheless, I proposed to have 
the funernal preached in or at the church where oiir membershij^ 
was at the time of her death, by the pastor of the chnrch. I also 
(tailed on a second party, who was of a different denomination, to 
aid in the services — the latter being objected to by the oihc'ers of 
the church — the objection being sprung by the former pastor of the 
church, who was self-righteous and had a gi-eat opinion of himself 
and full of prejudice, who, six years afterward, when one of liis- 
family died, lead a preacher of the same denomination of the one 
that be had objected to into the pulpit at the same place and 
]>reached him in the funeral occasion, Xow, I will leave that 
question for the readers to ansvrer themselves. Whether it was 
tool prejudice or square out meanness, I cannot tell, and as to the 
officers of the church they only contended because the -former pas- 
tor said so, as their faith was pinned to his sleeve. But still it 
added to my troubles, whilst I made my own troubles by being a 
foul myself in reference to the teaching of Christ, for all the prac- 
tices of worship that is not taught by Christ is of the devil, for 
tliere is nothing taught by Christ in that direction, and ever^^hing 
that is not of God is of the devil and belongs to the devil. 1 am 
of the opinion that the pastor and officers have had many stripes 
for their conduct. I forgive them; but I know not how stands the 
case with them and God, but I. trust that he will not charge that 
sin to them; and I pra^^ that I will never be fool enough any more 
to have what is called a funeral preached; but that every man and 
woman may preach their own funeral, by their own footsteps, 
lience, by doing the teachings of Christ and the Apostles who were 
sent from God to teach His people His will. 

I purpose closing this brief and short sketch of my life as I have 
been lighting tradition in all my works. I have given a history of 
my own footsteps, in order to show how I have fallen into tradition 
all through my life, and it is one of the hardest things to keep out 
of in the world. Really a man ma}^ be following after the tradi- 
tion of- men and not know that he is lead in that direction or by 
that power, whilst I admit that I have fallen in men's tradition a 
great portion of my life and never thought the first time but what 
it was the teaching of God, until I got to be a close reader of the 
Xew Testament. I soon saw that there was some false ideas ad- 
vanced by some, or all of the preachers, which made me become 
more interested in trying to search out the truth as it is laid down 
i 1 the Testament, whether it is popular or not. But I soon saw 
that if I took the truth for the man of my counsel and contended 
for it, that I would be unpopular and dishonored by the grand and 
fashionable people of my country; but seeing that Christ says: "If 
God be for me, what can be against me." It gave me more nerve 
'^and strengthened me to stand to the truth, honor or no honor, and 
I hope and trust I will be able to do so the balance of my days, 
and hope that the reading of this little book will cause thousands to 



KELPS TO THINKING. 1>1 

to reading for themselves and become able to lay down the tradi- 
tion of the fat^hioJi of this world, and no longer follow after the 
])roud gospel horse riders, who are the serA-ants of the devil. Nor 
neither follow after any professional men on the earth, as they are 
all riding upon the laboring men, and will until they force them- 
selves from under their powder. I trust that God will speedily roll 
on that day, that the laborers of this earth may cry out, Hosanna 
to God, we rule our own government and are a free people. 

Now, all I ask an^- man or woman to do is to carefully and hon- 
estly and prayfully read and study all these scattered truths that I 
liave mentioned in my little book and not to become disgusted and 
tin-ow it down because it is not vrritten scientifically, but remem- 
ber tliat the polish, fashion st3de and magnificence of thi*s world is 
not the truth, if you will let God be the judge. And wlien you 
read, I hope it Avill be with the determination to admit facts no 
<lifferenee who it hurts or cuts off at the knee. If you are a rich 
man and an aristocrat, I hope you will read it; and if you are a law- 
yer, I hope you vail read it; and if you are a doctor, I hope you v»'ill 
read it; and if you are a merchant, I hope you -will read it; and if 
you are a preacher, I hope you will read it; and if you are a farmer, 
1 hope you will read it; and I hope no one will conclude that I j5er- 
sonaih' dislike thern^— there are plenty of rich and aristocratic men 
I like, and there are plenty of politicians that I like, and there are 
jjlenty of lawj-ers that I like, and there are^ plenty of doctors that I 
like, and there are plenty of merchants that I like, and there are 
plenty of so-called preachers that I like, and there are plenty of 
farmers that I think very little of; but I am a friend to the cause of 
the laboring man, if he was a dog, and I am an enemy to the caus e 
of the aristocrat, politician, lawyer, doctor in part, merchant in part, 
and the preacher, if they were the highest toned men in the world; 
for I cannot help what I love, nor I cannot help what I hate. By 
the help of God 'I am what I am. I do not want anybody to follow 
after my way, but I will try to follow after your way if you Avill be 
lead b}^ the teachings of God, and I pray God to help all men to 
make that surrender and-folloAv after the plain truth and common 
sense. So it is not the man that I hate but it is the practice of 
men that I hate. Now, if I had a brother that stole horses for a 
living, and verily was getting rich by it, I would love my brother 
but Avould hate his practice; hence I would try to tear it clown and 
obhterate the whole policy of the stealing, or he might be a di-un- 
kard and keep a bar room and billiard table; I would love my 
brother but would hate his occuj^ation and practice. Hence, if I 
had the power I would surely destroy his occupation and practice 
l)oth; consequently, he might conclude that I was an enemy to him 
vvdiich would be a mistaken idea in hun; and just so with the aris- 
tocrat, the politician, laAvyer, doctor, merchant and the j^i'^acher. 
Whilst I would tear down the principle and occupation of all the 
above named occupations and practices, but a reasonable portion of 
the practice ef medicme done by men of principle, for I am sure 



HELPS TO THINKIXG. 



God has no use for the rich aristocrat or monopoly men. And I am 
yure He has no use for the politician in any way; and I am sure he 
has no use for the lawyer in any way, any more than he has for the 
bar room and billiard table, and I am sure he has no use for the 
doctor unless he is a man of princijjle and equal justice about him, 
and, I am sure. He has no use for the speculative merchant; and I 
am sure he has no use, nor never did have any for a preacher, that 
He did not give him his power to do His work; for if he had not 
the power and love of God, he certainly vrould do the work of the 
devil, and the last man that ever received tlie power and love of 
God was in the days of the Apostles. And all the material that 
^nj of these above named professions are men's material — hence, 
men's work and their material will perish with them. I hear one 
say does He furnish material for the poor laboring man; He cer- 
tainly does or would, if the rich and monopoly men had net nearly 
robbed God of one of His elements, which is the earth, and with- 
out a check in the monopoly, it will not be long before they will be 
the sole owner of the earthly element; but I trust, ere long, by the 
Jielp of God that the laboring men will take the sovereignty of this 
governm^ent into their own hands, and, hence, will make this earth 
free to every laboring man on the earth, in order to make his liv- 
ing as God told him to do, and that was b}' the sweat of his face. 
So you see it is very obvious to the mind of every man that God's 
will is to furnish every laboring man material to work on which 
vras made by God's own hands. He also, furnished him the water 
element which He distributes and sends as He sees the need of, to 
furnish the vegetables of the earth which the laborer cultivates for 
liis sustenance; and also to water his thirsty bowels. He also fur- 
nishes the air element to breathe and evaporate the wrtjr from the 
earth as it is necessary and to purify all things as^ tliey grow and 
decay. Hg furthermore furnished the fire element for the laborer 
to use as he sees proper to consume that which is in his way and to 
use for their comfort and benefit. It is plain to everybody'- that 
God is a friend to the lal)oring men or people, and sooner or later, 
they will rule and reign over the nation, for the side that God is on 
always conquers at His own good time. It is no difference about 
the power or money, or number of people, when He has heard the 
cries of the oppressed people long enough. He will surely put 
them in povrer. Suffering and afHiction is good for God's people 
but He knows when they have suffered long enough. Therefore, I 
wish I could be patient and wait for God's appointed time as noth- 
ing takes place with Him until that time, as he saw all things 
throughout eternity before the world began. With Him there is 
not ling new nor old. 

The reader will see that I have for the last few pages, departed 
from my own history, and dwelled on the history of the facts of the 
customs of this Avorld, for I did not anticipate that the history of 
Tfiyself would be interesting to anybody, as I have said before, I de- 
i=!ired to show by my own history that I had been subject to fall into 



HELPS TO TIIIXKI^S G. 28 

f radition like other people; but the balance of my thne, hencefor- 
ward, I am determined to keep out of all the tradition of meii as 
nmch as possible and make my way in this world, and as soon as I 
discover that I am on the wi'ong track I will turn from that evil no 
difference how long I have been practicing it, and as soon as 1 dis- 
cover that a thing is right that I never have practiced, I will com- 
mence practicing it, God being my helper. 

You will discover by reading through my essay or informal l)0{)k, 
that I have tried to teach several points in a way of counsel to mv 
fellow man, however, not exactly in the way of counsel, but rather 
my whole object has been to lead a man or person out to thinking. 
If we can get to thinking, on a thing right, we are pretty apt to get 
right. 

Perhaps, you will find, in the neighborhood of one hundred page s 
i)n the scriptures and the misapprehensions or nusconstrued scrip- 
tures; and, perhaps, about forty pages on the subject of the labor- 
ing man's pressure; and, perhaps, about twelve pages on the sub- 
ject of neighborhood harmony; and, perhaps, you will find about fif- 
teen pages on the subject of the whole earth being free to eveiy la- 
))oring man; and, perhaps, you will find about twenty pages on the 
subject of a wife's obedience to her husband; and, perhaps, you will 
find about six })ages on the subject of the husband's duty to the 
wife; and, perhaps, you will find about six pages on the subject of 
the duty of young men to their parents and themselves and their 
country-; and, perhaps, you will find about seven pages on the sub- 
ject of the duty of young ladies; and, perhaps, you will find eight 
or ten pages of the most valuable receipts that lias ever been before 
the peo2:>le. I gave $2b for one of them and the balance have 
heretofore sold at from one to twenty-five dollars. I have been 
traveling for the last thirty years in almost all of the Southern 
States and have been very careful to record every receipt that I 
thouo'ht would be valuable. I have bouodit some of them .md 
have swapped for some of them, Avhile others have been given to 
lue; and I have given near about my whole time for six years to 
the scriptures, preparing myself to write this essay or informal 
book, hoping to benefit everybody that would read it carefully, by 
getting them to go to thinking and looking at both sides of the 
subject. I earnestly desu'e that every man that wants to study the 
scriptures to read it — not that I want to lay ^ christian foundation 
for any man but that every man may. take the foundation that Paul 
laid and said: "No man could lay any other foundation than what 
Jle had laid," for if I should lay a foundation to save men or peo- 
ple, it would not be worth its room in hell. Nor neither is the doc- 
trine or foundation of any so-called preacher worth its room in hell. 
Then, I trust, that all men and women will take none other but 
Christ and the Apostles which comes free and without charge, 
without price, and without money, and let the preachers go to 
work. Also, the lawyers, ]3oliticians, merchants, and the portion of 
doctors that are practicing without the principle of justice in their 



i4 HELPS TO THINKING. . 

liearts. And I trust that tlie grand aristocrat may soon have to 
take hold of the plow a«d axe handle, and to take charge of the 
cook stove, ^vash tub and milk bucket, hence, making all men and 
ivomen on this earth o» one com.mon level, ABien„ 



-o- 



CONDITION OF ADAM IN THE GARDEN. 

We. will first notice the condition of Adam in the garden. Adam 
was made a natm*al man and Eve, of com*se, of the. same materia].. 
I'lie third person, or the devil, which was the animal passion or 
lust. But Adam and Eve, whilst this passion or serpent was crea- 
ted in them, they did not knovv^ of it, consequently, they were 
good; for they knew no evil. God had breathed the breath of life 
into them and they became living souls or, in other words, living 
understanding, which is the soul; then that soul, or understanding, 
which they had, was the .understanding of God's goodness — tlieref ore 
they loved him. They understood that He made them and provi- 
-led fruit which was food for them and He told them to eat of it, 
and they loved it. He knew liow to make it palitable; so they had 
?io toiling and wearying to do, for th^ir food was provided for them, 
:ind they did not have any clothes nor never saw the need of any, 
wliile in that good or harmless state; consequently, you see that 
they had nothing to do nor never would have had until now, it 
they had not disobeyed; nor neither would there have ever been 
anybody but xVdam and Eve unless God had created some more 
good people." But we see that there was a command given them 
that they did not keep, and that was not to partake of the fruit 
which was in the midst of the garden, named" the fruit of good and 
evil. The good tree was Christ, and the evil tree was Adam and 
Eve, and that tree they had strict orders from God in plain lan- 
guage not to partake of the fruit, and what the penalty was, if they 
partook of it and that was death. So we see that regardless of the 
command that they partook of that tree, and that was they partook of 
their own lust Avith each other; but says one. Eve took first — that 
only amounts to this: She being deceived, got her own consent to 
partake, therefore, she had partook; for the scriptm-e says: "When 
a man looketh on a woman in lust, he hath already committed adui- 
try." So Eve got her consent to partake. She induced Adam to 
partake; so Adam partook knowingly, but not willing, no more than 
a christian mai,i would partake of any evil. Now, the powers of the 
<levil that was created in him which was lust with the inducement of 
the deceived woman led him into it knowing the error and he yet 
loved God, and hated to meet up with Him and if he could have 
kept himself hid he would; and God called to him and Adam an- 



HELPS TO TIIINKIXG. 25 

swered, but expressed himself that he was ashamed for he was 
naked aud he coukl not have seen that he was naked if it had not 
])een that he had discovered hist, and what the histly parts were, 
eonsequentl}^, they had made themselves apr6ns of fig leaves. So 
Ave see that it had been announced to them that in the day tliat 
they ate the fruit they should surely die. So they did die that 
verv moment — that is their natural bodies died to holiness. Their 
riatiiral bodies became lustful, consequent!}', God could not permit 
them to remain in the holy land Avith Him, and drove them out and 
announced a curse upon them, and told Adam that He would put a 
curse upon the earth, that it should bring forth thorns and tliistles 
and that he slioidd get his living by the sweat of his face, and that 
Jie should till the earth, and that Eve should have a deshe for her 
liusband and sliould be ruled by him, and should bear children. 
We will notice right here that God is not. the author of sin, but He 
is tlie author of the devil. Adam and Eve are the author of sin, 
and sin brought forth a natural death, and that death subjected the 
vviioie Adamic fa,mily. So, every human being that ever was or eA'er 
will be except EnQch and Elijah and (sometimes I think that Mo- 
ses Avas carried away alive) has and will go through the ordeal of a 
natural death. Now, the child Avas born dead in sin and trespass, 
and we hear the so-called preachers almost universally say that 
Adam and Eve died a spiritual death •AA'^hen they partook of the for- 
bidden fruit. That principle (»f thought has not got any foundation 
properly looked at. If that Avas possible, I could believe it; I 
never would deny apostacy, but that cannot be because spuit can- 
not die, or in other AA^ords, understanding cannot die. The spuit, 
soul and understanding are synonymous, so we see that under- 
standing cannot die. When Adam was created he had mider- 
standing of God's goodness, and he loved God because of His 
goodness, and he still knew of His goodness when he sinned, and 
he knew of his goodness when he died, consequent^, he was one of 
God's children all the way through; but like we, to-day, if Ave are 
God's children, we are disobedient, but God loves His children but 
He does not love our natural bodies nor cannot, for it is impossible 
for Him to love lust and carnality; but He loved then* own souls or 
spuits which He gave them and every thing loves its own, down to 
the insect; so his OAAm spirit becoming to be an indweller of a sin- 
ful fleshy and lustly tabernacle, which is called the Avorld and it 
never became to be a world until it had the knoAA'ledge of lust and 
became sinful, so God never loved sin, nor never loved the Avorld, 
but He loved His own spirit, or in other words, He loved his 
own self that had became an indweller m Adam's sinful body, that 
He being good, just and loving, could not do otherA^ise but to re- 
store or redeem Adam and Eve's lost and fallen bodies, that had 
become lustful and sinful; and there was but only one way by 
Avhich He could do, and that was to come to himself an indAveller, 
or his son, and that to come in poAver or of the holy ghost, and 
that, He was willing to do. Having children dAvelling in flesh, He 



•26 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 

was williiiQ^ to "take part of tlie same that through deatli he mio-ht 
destroy him that had the power of death, that is the deviL" Heb., 
2 and 14. So at the resurrection, Christ will present to His father, 
lioly' or spiritual bodies, for Adam and Eve, that their souls which 
liave been resting with God in paradise for over 3000 years, may 
be re-united with their holj^ bodies; then we will see Adam and 
Eve with all the regenerated family — seeing God as He is and being 
like Him. My dear reader, the very idea of Adam and Eve dieiug 
a spiritual death is all whimsical and without foundation. There never 
was any other kind of a death since the world began except a na- 
tural death. VTe read in many places in the old Bibl§ where they 
liad to die for certain crimes, but. all these was destruction of the 
l)ody, and we read of the second death in the 20th chapter of Rev- ' 
elations, but that is after this world has past away. "He that hatlr 
part in the first resurrection the second death hath not power over," 
^vhich is hell tire. jN'ow, let us admit the doctrine that Adam and 
Eve died a spiritual death, then if that is so what condition or 
sliape were they in after that death took place? AVe suppose that 
eveiy person would agree that they were there in the shape or cou- 
dition of an unregeneratedman — all of the devil both soul and body, 
tliat would be a fair and reasonable conclusion. So if tha.t is their 
condition, noAv, let us quote the first conversation that God ever 
liad with tlieni after they partook of the forbidden fruit. God 
walked into the garden and it appears that Adam was disposed to 
try to hide from Him, but when God<^alled him he answered and 
said:: "I heard thy voice in the garden and we hid ourselves be- 
cause we were naked," and God said: "Who told thee that thou 
wast naked — have you eat of the fruit that I told you not to eat?" 
Adam very readilj^ said: "That the woman that you give to be with 
me, she gave me and I did eat." It appears that Adam thought 
that God gave him tlie wrong sort of a companion or helpmate. So 
(xod asked the woman why she eat of the fruit, and she excuse 1 
herself by saying that the serpent beguilded her and she did eat; S) 
God returned to the serpent or devil and said: "Fpr this act thou 
slialt be cursed above all the beasts of the field andtliou shalt crall 
on thy belly the balance of thy days, and shall eat dust." And 
viov/ comes the pohit T Avant m}^ readers to notice: "And I will 
make unity between you and tlie woman and between your seed 
and her seed." ' Now, let me ask the reader, if Adam and Eve are of 
the devil, how could there be unity between them? Christ says "a 
hou-;8 divided against itself cannot stand." So you see that idea of 
Adam and Eve dicing a spiritual death has no foundation and will n*^. 
stand a test. We see that the seed of the woman is Abel, because 
he was righteous, and the seed of the devil was Cain, because he 
was wicked, Xow, as to the two boys, there was no difference in 
them only God exhibiting His power in types and shadows of the 
future. Neither do I suppose that Abel and Cain were the two 
first children ever born; they were the only two children name 1 ot' 
Alam's family that I remember in the Bible, therefore, they were 



HELPS TO TIIIXKI^G. 



only spoken of as figure types, and shadow's. ]>ut I Iksxi- one say, 
there is Seth — lie is one of Adam's 'children. Well, now I ])r(»pos;' 
to show you how Seth came in or was spoken of. Von will turn 
to the 4th chapter of Genesis, perhaps, the two last verses, wliere 
you see that Adam knew Eve again and she bears a son aiU'V 
the image of Adam, for said Eve: "C-J-od hath ap})ointed me a seed 
instead of Abel whom Cain slew." So you see now that wclune 
it proven that Abel was the seed of the woman that God spoke of 
when He was talking to the devil in the garden. Then Cain nnut 
liave been the seed of the de^dl, because lie was. wicked, or in oth- 
er words, God left him in his born nature and inspiired Abel in or- 
der to show the figures, types and shadows. So we see that there 
is good logic to suppose that there Avere many childi-en born be- 
fore Abel and Cain, because we see that Cain found a v»dfe some- 
where in that land and countr}-, and there seemed to be many peo- 
])le somewhere in that country as Cain said all people Avould slay 
liim, and God put n mark on him that they might know him, so 
you see how that is. We understand that Cain was the oldest 
eliild of the two, therefore, he was a tigure of the natural man, or 
the sinful man, and Abel was a figure of the spiritual maii oi' new 
man, because he was the younger man. Now, after more than 
2U00 years had passed away, we see another similar hgure \\'[th 
Esau and Jacob. They strove one against the other before tht^y 
were born; the}^ were figure types and shadows. ICsau was a iigure 
of the old or natural man, and* Jacob was a figure of the new oi- 
s[)iiitual man, and their mother was told that the older should be 
subject to the younger, so the natural man becomes subject to the 
s, uritual man, if there is a spiritual man been born and if not, tl e 
vain or proud man rules. Now, I do not remember that tliere Avere 
any more of Isaac's children named but Esau and .Tacob, neithei- 
do I understand that they are the two oldest cliildren, but are only 
figure types and shadows of wh^t was to come. 



HELPS TO THIXKING 



THE CONDITION OF THE HUMAN RACE FlIOM ADAM 

TO MOSES. 

We see that tliere Y/as a command given to Adam in the garden^ 
l)v.t that wan directlj^ to Adam and Eve and by disobedience they 
suffered the penalty which involved the whole human race; but 
t]\ere was no law given; lor a law is common to all and a comman<l 
is given to one individual or more, that may be present — for in- 
stance, the whole army is under one common law that they unUer- 
stand^they all know that if any man, great or small, desert and 
sro to the enemxy, that the penalty is death, and a colonel may com- 
mand a company to do a certain thing, and, incase of disobedience, 
none suffer but that company; or a captain may command a cer- 
tain man to do a thiiig, and in case of disobedience, none suffer but 
the individual to which the command was given — ^^hence, you see 
that a command and a law is different, while some argue that it i;^ 
tlie same, but the argument is destitute of any scrund reasoning^ — so, 
I propose to establish that there was no law from Adam to Moses, 
except the law of sin or nature; therefore, all nations were suffered 
to walk in their own natural wicked and lustly ways, v/ithout any 
v(^straint, or restriction, from God at all. For proof see Acts 14 
and 16, and Kom. 5, 13 and 14. I do not attempt to say but what 
tliey had some kind of a temporal law, rule or regulations, by 
^^'hich to govern themselves in th^ir transaction with one an- 
other; but if so it was their own law. God had nothing to do wdtli 
it. Now, His purpose for tur^iing all nations loose to govern them- 
selves in their own waj^s, I cannot tell, neither do I propose to 
tell an.ythhig about God's purposes. One might say it was to show 
us, even to tliis day, what we poor wicked 'tieshy, lustly mortals 
would do without a restriction. We would be an hundred fold 
Avorse that the brute creation, for they have no disposition to want 
to take the advantage of each other. So, we see that God bore 
Avith their wickedness as long as his purity could, and He saw but 
one remedy which He purposed from the beginning, and that was 
to destroy them from the face of the earth, which He did by water, 
with the exception of the righteous and Noah and his family, and 
amidst all the delluged wicked people, that were drowned from 
oli' the face of the earth. He was a gracious and forbearing God. 
There was no sin imputed to any of them, for while there was no 
law there was no sin imputed — Rom. 5 and 13. There was a sin 
imparted to Adam and Eve because they disobeyed a direct com- 
mand given to them from God in plain words, and they h^d been 
given the ability to know it was wrong to disobey: From that fact 
it was imputed to them and a penalty annexed; but from Adam 
to Moses there was no sin imputed; or in other words, from Adam 
to the law, there was no sin imputed. Now, it was said in the gar- 
den that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. 
So, as I have said before, that Abel was the seed of the woman. 
We will notice that Seth, who was after the im.age of Adam, came 



HELPS TO TIIIXKING. '2\) 

ill^>tead of Abel, AvhvOiii Cain slew, for, said tlie woman: '^God liatli 
appointed nie a seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew" — Gen. -t 
.-Hid 25. Yon will take notice that there was no genealogy from 
Cain. I3ut we see in the 5tli chapter of Genesis the genealogy be- 
gins and runs on down to righteous Xoah, nsIio was saved })y w<\- 
ter, also, who was inspired, for that was the only way by which any 
one could know any thing of God up to that period of time; and I will 
venture to say that there was an iaspired famih^ from Adam down 
to Xoah for that seed of the woman should have necessarily becni 
preserved and that started from Seth. I see no reason why all of 
Adams children should not have been as good as^ Seth; by " nature 
they were the same blood — the same flesh — the same father and 
mother; consequently, the same instructor and teacher, and I have 
no doubt but that they loved Cain as good as Abel; but we see 
Avhere inspiration started. Truly, inspiration started, or had its or- 
igen, with Adam and Eve for they understood the coming Saviour, 
which was by inspiration, and to settle that fact, Ave see in Genesis 
4, 25, in reference to her seed when Seth was conceived. Eve said 
that God had appointed her a seed instead of Abel whom Cain 
slew." Xow Ave knoAV that Cain Avas alive at that time, and we 
knoAV that she kncAv tliat Cain Avas her child, or natural seed, 
hence, Ave see that she had a spiritual understanding of the coming- 
Saviour AAdio Avas to bruise the serpent's head, or in other Avords, 
Avho Avas to bruise her enemy's head. Adam and EA^^e had just as 
clear a conception of their sah'^ation and hoAV they were to be sav- 
ed, as Khig L)avid did. ' They understood Avhat they had fallen in- 
to, and they imderstood Iioav it had to be remedied, or what the 
remedy Avas. God kncAv that they knew the tree of life that stood 
in the midst of the garden which Avas Christ, and He well kneAv 
that they Avould partake of that tree had they not been preA'euted, 
as you see, that He placed around that tree cherubims and flaming 
sAvords to prevent them from partaking and becoming eA^er living 
sinners. So, we see that if Adam and Ea'C had have been spiritu- 
ally dead, they would not have knoAAm any more about the tree of 
life than a rock Avould. So aAvay with that idea that Adam and 
Eve Avere not God's spiritual children from the day that they Avere 
created until the day that they died — yea, until this i^resent day, 
and not only spiritual children but inspired children. So, Ave see 
that Abel Avould not haA^e knoAvn anything about what kind of of- 
ferings would haA'e suited God, if God had not insj^ired him; and, 
likcAvise, Seth avouIcI haA^e been no better a man than Cain, if God 
had not inspired him; for neither one haci any account of God only 
as God taught them himself. Hence, all the teaching that they re- 
ceived came from God-. Moreo\'er, Ave see that He couA^ersed Avitli 
Cain, and Ave see that He favored Cain and would not suffer any 
to hurt him, or slay him; and, I do not remember any scripture that 
gives any account of Cain being taught that it Avas AA'^rong to kill, 
and AA^e see that Cain loved God, for he told Him that it Avas more 
than he could bear to be banished from His presence. 



80 HELPS TO THINKIXG. 

Xow, we will notice the old pati-iarclis, from Setli on down to 
King David, and on to Christ's mother. It could not be otherwise, 
but that the whole connecting link from Seth, or rather from the 
woman Eve, was inspired and was able to see through to Christ. 
The iirst one after Seth was Enos, who was 105 years younger 
than Seth, and the next one after Enos was Cainan, avIio was 90 
years younger than Enos — then comes Mahalalel, who was 70. 
years younger than Cainan — then comes Jared, who was 65 years 
younger than Mahalalel — then comes Enoch, Avho was translated, 
and 162 years younger than. Jared — then comes Methuselah, who 
was 65 years younger than Enochs-then comes l^amech, who was 
187 years younger than Methuselah — then comes Xoah, who was 
162 years younger than Lamech— then comes Shem, who 502 years 
young«r than Noah — then comes Arphaxad, Avho was 100 years 
younger than Shem — then comes Solan, who was 86 years younger 
than Arphaxad — ^^then Eber, who Avas 81 years younger than Selah- 
then comes Peleg, Avho was 35 years younger than Eber — then 
comes Keu, who was- 280 years younger than Peleg — then comes 
Serug, Avho was 168 years younger than. Reu-then comes Naha,. who 
was 80 years younger than Serug — then. comes Terah, who w^as 24 
years younger than I^ahar — then comes Abraham, who was 180 
years younger than Terah — then comes Isaac, Avho Avas 99 years 
younger tlian Abraham — then comes Jacob Avdio Avas 60 years 
younger than Isaac. Noav these are the patriarchs or seed of the 
A\'oman, from Adam and Ea^c doAA^i to Jacob, Avho is Israel, and I 
dp think that any man Avould dare to say that any of these patri- 
archs Avere not inspired. I haA^e no hesitancy in saying that they 
Avere all inspired. Hence,. you see that tlie seed of the Avoman nev- 
er lost sight of Christ; all tlie Avay down through tlu; continued 
link AA'hich Avas 2167 A^ears from Adam to Jacob. 



HELPS TO THIXKING. 31 

FROM JACOB TO THE SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. • 

I want a little more from Jacob to Moses. Now, we *see, that Ja- 
cob was born about 1887 j^ears before Christ — then about 205 years 
Moses was born. So we see that about 80 years of apje he deliv- 
<ered Israel out of Egypt, or out of bondage, which was 1491 years 
before Christ, and about that date received the law on Mount Sinai. 
Now from then to Christ, the people were restricted by the law, 
and for each violation thel*e was a penalty affixed, which was 
from death down to the lightest punishment. Now, the })eople 
kneAV nothing of the sj>irit of God, However, none but the propli- 
ets. Consequently, none but the prophets were subject to God's 
j^piritual law. So you see, that none but the inspired prophets un- 
derstood the goodness of God, or in other words, had the love of 
God in them. Therefore, God rebuked them for their wrongs; and 
the balance of the people were rebuked and punished by the law. 
When a man violated the law he was punished according to the 
crime and when he received his punishment, he then had atoned 
for that crime. He then had the rights and protection of the law 
as same as if he had not violated the law. So, a law-abiding man 
was saved by obeying the law, and a violator of the law was 
{saved by making the atonemeiit for the crime. If he unlaw- 
fully killed your ox he paid four fold for the ox, which atoned for 
that crime; and if he taken a man's eye out, his eye was taken out, 
and then he atoned for that crime, which give him the full right of 
a citizen again; and if he knocks a man's tooth out, his tooth was- 
taken out, which restored him to full fellowship again as a good 
citizen; and if he taken a man's life, his life was likewise taken, and 
his blood atoned for his crime. Consequently, you see that 
they were not standing on the same platform that we stand on. 
We have to account to God for our deeds and crimes and they 
liad to account to the law for their crimes, for the law was all they 
knew. All their worshiping in those days were symbolical types 
and shadows of things that Avere to come. There was no gospel 
made known at that time, neither was the spirit of God made 
known to the innerman at that time, except to the prophets or in- 
tspired; for the gospel was kept secret since the time the world be- 
gan until Christ — Rom. 26 and 25. Now, why the gospel was 
kept secret for over 4000 years, I cannot tell anything about God's 
purposes, but I do know that the people, while walking af- 
ter their own natural ways, which was before the tiood, and with- 
out an^' restriction, got so wicked that God could not bear with 
them any longer and destroyed them from off the face of the earth; 
and so after the floocl, when in the course of time the people began 
to get very wicked again, although, they all sprang from right- 
eous Noah and family. So, we see God destroying them 
by cities and our old father Abraham begging God to spare 
them, and God promised him He would, provided he could lind a 
very small number of righteous ones in the city. We see that our 



HELPS TO THINKING. 



old father Abraham couhl not find five rio-hteous ones in a wonder- 
ful city; and God, also, tin-eatened other cities if they did not re- 
jjent. So, it seemed that the people were kept in clieck by the de- 
struction of cities nntil God's appointed time to give Moses the 
law, and restricted them to it, which seemed to have kept them in 
check nntil the appointed time for Christ to preach the gospel and 
declare salvation to ail men. " Hence, we see that by keeping the 
law only held tlie people in check from becoming so wicked; for 
tliere was no salvation in kee])irig the law, nor no one ever received 
the love of God by complying with the law. Though it had been 
complied with to a jot and a tittle. It never put no one in favor 
with God. .We see in the scriptures three laws spoken of, one is 
the law of sin and death or the law of the devil; and another one 
is Moses' law which is the same, and another one is God's divine law; 
therefore, there is onh' tAvo laws that we have to contend with and 
that is the law of the devil and the law of God which is spiritual, 
'i'hen, if the law of God is spiritual, who can keep it hut a spiritual 
man or one born of the spirit. The Testament says: "A man out 
of the spirit cannot discern spiritual things." So, we see there is 
none that can keep God's law but God's children, and God's chil- 
dren loves His law with the soid or understanding and will kee|) 
His commandments. On the other hand, the unregenerated or 
wicked can only obey the law of sin and loves ,that law and could 
J lot be otherwise while in that sinful nature. So, everything loves 
its own. While a child of the devil, they love the devil and his 
works or law, which is sin, and the lust of their father -they will do. 
^Ve will notice that everything begets like itself; so when the dev- 
il ]>egets children he begets like himself, that is, full of evil and 
seeks after evil; for flesh is flesh, and spirit is spirit, and it will not 
mix one particle, and the natural or unregenerated man will not, nor 
cannot obey a7iother law but the law of sin and death. For we see 
that the law of sin brings forth death. It is true that there is a 
civil law here that the wicked can and do obey in order to be hon- 
orable, or for fear of 'punishment, one of the two. The high-toned, 
honest and proud hearted obey the civil law in order that they may 
be honorable and stand at the head of the class for the joy they 
have in pride, honor and greatness, just as much as the Pharisees 
did in time of the law and the prophets. While the low-graded class 
that do not care for honor and respectability, obey the law for fear 
.of the punishment tliat the law inflicts on them for the crimes they 
commit; hence, we will notice that God's divine law and faith were 
given for the righteous to keep; but the people first had to 
learn of sin, or lust, or nature, consequently, the Mosaic law was 
given and the people were taught that a violation of that law was 
sin, and they had to suffer for violating the law, whatever the j)en- 
alty of the law inflicted upon them, and they understood it to be 
right and just. The people prior to the law never knew that there 
Avas any sin, consequently, the law had to be given to teach them of 
sin which had brought death wpon them and they were not aware of 



HELPS TO THINKING. 



that fact — that is none but the ins}>ired prophets, aiid, as the law 
taught them siu, the law became sin or was sin, and Christ became 
tlie law, or in other words, was made sin, hence, fuliilled the law 
1)V tasting death for every man. JSo, now, right here comes in tlie 
divine laAv of God, Avdiich is the perfect law7 We see that it was 
Avritten hy divine men then, as the law was written by them'for 
our way bill, or, in other words, for our constitution by which we 
are framed and governed. Then, Avhy do we see or feel any ne- 
cessity of linguisters, or in other words, men to teach that which is 
written. If it is written in Greek, all we want is to know the Greek 
language; and if it is written in Lathi, all Ave want to know or under- 
stand is the Latin language; and if written in French, all Ave want 
to knoAv or understand is the French language; and if it is Avritten 
ill English, all Ave Avant to kno\v is to understand the English lan- 
guage. Hence, you see that all Ave Avant or need is the Engiisli. 
school teachers to teach our children the English language, Avhich 
is the language of these United States or gOA'ernment. Now, you 
see that Ave have a constitution of this government by Avhich Ave are 
all governed, and if Ave comply with the constitution we are saved 
from any punishment of this government, and this constitution is 
written in the English language. Therefore, Ave do not need any 
teachers or preachers to explain this constitution. All we Avai.t is 
for the constitution to be Avritten in the English language and then 
our children to understand the language. I ask in the name of 
(rod, Avhat more do Ave need? If the constitution was not Avrittin 
<loAvn then Ave Avoul.d need men that Avere inspired Avith the king or 
President's knoAvledge, or Avisdom, to traAcl all over the land and 
country to instruct and teach us Avhat the 'constitution Avas, or Avhat 
the law was; or, in other Avords, vrhat the King or President Avant- 
ed us to do, in order that Ave might be saA'ed from the punishment of 
the laAv. But, my readers aa^II understand that the King, President, 
or goA'^ernment, does not liaA^e, or suffer, any traAcler's teaching or 
preajching, as to what the AA^itten constitution means. Why? Because 
it is Avritten in the language that Ave all understand; and the trav- 
eling teachers, or preachers, could not change the constitution if 
they were to teach or preach their life time; but I will readily ad- 
mit if the L'nited States AA^as full of teachers and preachers, giA^ng 
their thousands o»f opinions as to Avhat the Avritten constitution 
meant, they could soon ha\^e a A'ariety of oj^inions as to Avhat it 
meant, or as to Avhat it Avas. Hence, they AA'ould have a perfect 
confusion and be destitute of peace and harmony, for some would 
say, I am of General Grapt, and some Avould say, I am of General 
Lee, and some would say, I am of General Stone Avail Jackson, and 
"some would say, I am of General Sherman, and some Avould say, 
I am of Jeff Davis, and others Avould say, I am of Abraham Lin- 
coln, etc., etc. So my readers, you see what a confusion Ave Avould 
soon be in as to our cIa il !aw. 

NoAA', my dear christian, also, my sinner readers, are Ave not to- 
day in a perfect confusion or a conglomerated condition? Then 



84 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 

• V ' 

stop and think with all the religious and deep thinking and under- 
standing that YOU can possibly exercise, and view our condition to- 
day, and ask yourselves what is the cause of this mixed and con- 
fused state. It seems to me that you would clearly see and under- 
stand the whole cause. Yea, it looks like an educated horse could 
see it. Xow, if Christ, our everlasting priest and the divine Apos- 
tles preached the word and then \vrote out the divine constitution, 
or our way bill, in the Greek language, we now have the same 
thing: written in the Eno-lish lanpuao-e. Xow, what more do we 
want than to know the Eno-lish lanouaoje. If we are idiots, we are 
all right, and if we are intelligent and understand the English lan- 
guage and are blessed vrith a written constitution, W'C are all 
right, provided we will rely on the constitution and not on ficti- 
tious and hypocritical teachers and preachers. Where you have 
got in trouble ask yourselves in all cases if it was contrary to the 
counsel of God's book or word, and ask yourself if it was not by 
following after the counsel or example of some evil man. So, now 
look into this case. 

Xow, if Christ intended to hand the gospel down to the succes- 
sive generations by mouth, He would not have written it for us to 
read; and He would have kept up a sutticiency of divine Apostles 
to have preached the gospel to every creature as they propagate 
over the land; and the divine Ajjostles, or preachers, would have 
been full of the Holy Ghost with the ability to perform miracles in 
order to prove to the people that they were direct from heaven, or 
(4od, and had the power of God. Now, does not common sense 
t?ach us that these things are true? ]5ut I hear one say that God 
has blessed His country with a multiplicity of preachers to preach 
His gospel, but, oh, my christian preacher, who has called you out 
to preach the gosj^el? I will answer, honest tradition has called a 
great many, and mammon has called multiplied thousands; and 
liypocracy has called a great many, and the devil has called many, 
and the devil is lust, pride and honor. I well know that there are 
thousands of men that think that they have an honest call from 
God to preach. They received that honest principle from tradi- 
tion. It may not be immeliately from the fathers and the moth- 
ers, and the Sunday School teaching or surroundings, but they have 
r.^ceived their tradition from the teaching and fashion of the whole 
Ignited States and nation, which they have been brought up under. 
AYe all, more or les^, take after the fashion of the country, ami 
s yle. It is no difference how evil it is. If our eye beholds it as 
b ?autif ul we take after it; if another style or fashion show to be 
p^titable, though it may be contrary to law — if we think we can 
evade the laAv, Ave naturally take after it, or if it is a thing we de- 
sire and love, though it may be injurious to our neighbors and 
country, and yea, our own selves, we will call and take after, or fall 
n line with it; or if it is a thing that is popular ^nd yet contrary to 
t-ie t 'aching of God, we will bring up some justification and smooth 
it over and say, amen, to it. So, my _dear preacher, if you thhik 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. S5 
- • - - - '" - - - 

yon are one of the mnlti^>licity of preachers above spoken of, please 
yho^v me one of the qualities of God's divine preachers, for he nev- 
fr liad any other sort since the g'ospel -has been made known. 
Please show any power of the Holy Ghost by performing any mir- 
iK'le or power of God, whatever; or you show me that you do not 
care for the pay more than the preaching. Do you think you 
would go and preach, and travel a foot, and sometimes barefooted, 
lid half naked, cold and hungry, and be meaned and persecuted, 
:ind even cow-hided with many stripes, and dishonored by the 
high-toned and law-abiding citizens, or in other words, the iirst- 
class people, and feel that you was at home with the low, or 
dishonored portion of people, and them so poor that they could not 
i'urnish you out little to eat, and but little to sleep upon, and feel 
tliat you was with your equals? I further ask you if you can raise 
the dead, heal the sick, or give the blind sight, or any other proof 
that you are one of God's preachers? Kow, we see that the divine 
Apostles could do all these with many others and cared not for any 
of the goods of this world at all, neither for fathers, mothers, chil- 
dren, kindred nor friends, which proves theu* spirituality ^nd equal- 
ity with Christ. 

Now, we will examine the power, quality and desires of you 
preachers of this day, or that has ever been since the days of the 
Apostles, who \\'eve the only j^reachers of God that ever has been 
<^^)r ever will be. Xow, has the j^resent preacher any passion or 
lust? Yes. Has he any desire to make or accumulate money? 
Yes, if he can do it without labor! Has he any desire to drive 
good horses in. line buggies? Yes, but on the expense of fools. 
Has he any desire to Avear line clothes and look jjrand? Yes. Has 
he any desire to live in cities, towns and villages and walk the 
sti\ets with pearly-headed canes, with fine clothes and make 
himself conspicuous and grand? Yes, the majority of them have. 
Has he any desire to travel over the land and country in ease and 
to make himself social and notable amono- the hioh -class of 
})eople, and on the expenses of the blinded church people, 
who they have made believe was their duty to su}i^3ort them in 
their vanity and pride, which belongs to hell? Yes, a large major- 
ity of them. Has he any desire to educate his children on the ex- 
penses of the brotherhood who supports the gospel? Yes, a great 
number of them. Has any of them any desire to go to China to 
preach? Some of them have, when thej^ can go on the expense of 
the churches or the people generalh^ in contemplation of the great 
scenery of traveling and Wewing the landscape and the boisterous 
deep, and of viewing and seeing the multiplicity of people and 
tribes, and the grand curiosities of the world. Has the preacher 
any desire to work? Multiplied thousands of them have not. Has 
theii- wives any desire to work? A great number of them will not 
work at all as long as the gospel horse is fat. Are there not a great 
many of the preachers wives now on the gospel horse and even re- 
fusing to do their own washing and scouring? Yes, muny of them? 



86 . HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG, 

Are there not a great many of the preachers wives resorting to and 
fro on pleasure trips on the iron horseV Yes. Did the money not 
mostly come from poor people that are working themselves' an<l 
children hard? Yes. Don't a large majority of these poor peoph' 
deny themselves of good eating, and deny their children of tlie 
school room in' order that they may be able to feed and pa^' the 
preachers and their wives? Yes. Does not a great many of these 
poor farmers' wives and children who are jjaying these preachei-s 
walk to church, and many of them wear very cheap apparel? ^'es. 
Do you think that God will reward the preachers and their wives 
that are kept \\\) in this idleness and laziness on the earnings of the 
poor? Xo — He will not. Well, who will rcAvard them? The devil. 
^Vhy do you say that? Because God said for man to get his livin^r 
by the sweat of his face. Does God bless man in disobedience? He 
does not? Does not the Testament say that Christ and His Apos- 
tles had no respect of persons? Yes, it says so. Does the preach- 
ers have any respect of persons? Yes they do. AVho do they re- 
spect the most, the poor and humble, or the rich and grand? 'I'liey 
respect the rich and gi-and the most. Why do they respect tlit^ 
rich and grand the most? Because they love his victuals the best, 
and they love his pay the best, and they love his apparel the best, 
a:id they love his style the best, and they love liis manners the best., 
and they love his honors the best, and, in fact, he just seem 
like their sort of folks. Do you think that they would go about 
t'le poor christian if it was not for his expected little mite? Xo, 
they would not. But one saj's, I go and pray with the poor, don't 
I? Yes, you do, but is that not for worldly j^olicy? Yes, it is. Is 
it not a great deal easier for a rich or great one to be forgiven by 
the preacher than a poor one? Yes, certainly so. Yea, that does 
not only hold good with the preacher, but it holds good with tie 
wide world. Consequently, you see there is no difference in the 
wide world and the preacher. Don't the preacher generally want 
t ) wear fine clothes? Yes, they do. Why is that a fact? Because 
they want their clothes to help them preach. Xow, you preachers 
that love good fine clothes and nice style, let us think over the lijie 
apparel a little. Do you think if two strangers were to come to 
your stylish parlor and one, of them was clothed in fine apparel 
and gold rings, and the other one in his coarse, rough or ragged ap- 
parel, and you only had one nice, comfortable seat, Avould you 
not say to the one A\'ith the fine apparel, take thou this seat, and to 
the ragged man, to take thou this footstool? I ansAver, you "would, 
unless you A\'anted to talk about what you had done before some 
poor people. Now, read James 2 and 2, and see what God says, 
or James through God. Xow, if you are a true servant of (rod as 
was Christ and the Apostles, Avhy do you consider yom- clothing at 
all; but let tho adorning be of the hidden man of God — see 1 Pet. 
o and 3, and for the preachers wives see 1 Tim. 2 and 9. But the 
preachers and wives .say, why do you press so hard on us and not 
others? Because you have placed yourselves as guides and leaders 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 87 

tor the balance, of tlie world. Then if guides, leaders and teach- 
ers, why do you not lay the example that Christ has laid down in 
plain language? I answer because God never called and qualitied 
you as His preacher. Then if the preachers do not lay the exam- 
ple and teach us the way that Christ wrote His constitution or way 
l)ill, we would be better off Avitiiout the preachers. If they lay an 
example hellwardly and teach likewise, 1 am sure we would be bet- 
ter olf without them, and let us take the constitution and way bill, 
which points us heavenwardly, following the footsteps of Christ 
and the Apostles, which is assuredly a safe guide and will carry us 
straight through to the heavenly kingdom, where the heaven born 
souls are made to shout and praise God for His goodness and mer- 
i-y which He purposed from before the foundation of the world. 
AVheii Christ's preachers were here preaching, they were told how 
to talk walk and act in every waj^ whatever, therefore, they vrere not 
left comfortless. They both had a spirit and a power to do all 
tilings whatsoever they desired to do. The^^ were called by God Him- 
self in person, face to face, likewise every preacher that ever God call- 
ed since he had a known gospel to preach. There were many preach- 
ers teaching other doctrines, but these preachers were called by 
the devil, and preached the devils doctrine; and every body that 
lias not been called by our Master, was called by the devil or hon- 
est tradition, one of the two, which amounts to the same. Paul 
was called by Christ in person, and was gifted and sent out to 
preach, and we hear Paul saying to the Romans: "How can you 
liear without a preacher, and how can you preach unless you be 
sent?" Xow, let us notice when this was said. It was said at a 
time when there was no written gospel, which was before the Evan- 
gels had completed tlie will of Christ. So, we see, if there was no 
'N\'riLten gospel or divine men, they could not have known anything 
;ilx)ut the gospel. So, the divine men that were called and quali- 
fied to preach the gospel until the Evangelist wrote the constitu- 
tion, or Christ's way bill; then when that was written and the in- 
spired Apostles passed away, then the preaching business ceased, 
from the fact that His work was completed on this earth, and He 
"worketh the spu-itual children to Avill and to do with His own 
good pleasure" — Phil. 2 and 13. But He worketh in all children 
alike according to their spu-itual understanding and all are required 
to exhort one another to our duty. All the children work in the 
cause of Christ, organizing churches and -appointing officers, 
which commences with Bishops, who rules, governs and looks over 
the interest of the church, and administering baptism, and other 
ordinances of the church — See 1 Tim. 3 chapter, and jou will see 
qualities that the Bishops and deacons have to be possessed of, 
and these qualities have to be proven; and so you see how Zion 
shall and will move on. Christ says: "My word shall never pass 
away," and it is written that all people might see and read it, but 
one says that some cannot read. Well, if the gospel is written in 
the Enghsh language all we want is English school teachers to 



38 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 

tiiach our cliildren the English langua^^e, that all may understand 
the gospel alike, then one understands as good as another or ac- 
cording to his mental ahilitj; and if there are any that cannot read 
the English language then one man or woman can read to them as 
good as another; because, no man on earth can teach the heart of 
any man — ^none but God can teach the innerman. One man can 
teach another literally, but cannot teach spiritually. ISTow, I ad- 
mit that Christ, and the Apostles, as I have said in my foregoing 
writings, were all preachers, but they were divine preachers, and 
Christ and the Apostles said that "he that preached the gospel should- 
live of the gospel." Then what is the gosi:>er? It is the word of God. 
Then they were able to live on the word, for we see that Christ 
lived on the word forty days, and so could the A2:)0Stles, if it had 
been necessary, while, at the same time, they eat natural food as 
we do. But they were able to breathe into the minds of the people 
to feed them when necessary, and more than that, they were able 
to rain food from the heaven if necessary, or they were able to per- 
form miracles when it was necessary for them to do so. Tlie}^ were 
divine as Christ Himself — -that is after the day of pentecost. Xow, 
before the day of pentecost, they were only natural men like our- 
selves — except at times, when Christ empowered them to do mira- 
cles and then took their power from them, or, in other words, took 
their supernatural qualities from them, in order to show or prove 
to them that all power was in Him. Hence; He taught them three 
years in that way in order to strengthen them in their faith in Him; 
and tellinof them that He would send the comforter which was the 
Holy Ghost, or in other words, the power of God exhibited in flesh; 
but the}'' did not understand Him at that time, but when they were 
endowed Avith power from on high, they then remembered what He 
liad said, and then understood wliat He meant. So, after the day 
of 2)entecost, they had the power to perform any and all miracles 
that Christ did Himself before His crucifiction, and Christ said, or 
told them, that the comforter or power should remain with them 
forever. So, old Peter, nor none of the rest of them ever failed or 
faltered after the day of pentecost; and Christ told them to be per- 
fect as "Their father Avho art in heaven" — see Math. 5 and 48; and 
when He was praying to His father for them, He told His father 
"they were not of the world even as He was not of the world" — 
see John 17 and 16. So, you see by these two infallible proofs 
that they were divine like Himself and equal with Him; or in _^other 
words, they were the three persons in the trinity, or in other Avords, 
thej^ filled the office of the three j^ersons in the trinity aftej* the day 
of pentecost, which was the Holy Ghost, or power of God exhibite I 
in flesh. 

While Christ was On the earth, £[e was the Father of the Son 
and Holy Ghost; so after Christ and the Apostles all passed out of 
this world there was no more of the Holy Ghost or power of Go 1 
exhibited in flesh. In those daj^s they saw a personal Go>[ or a 
God in flesh; both in Christ the Son, and the Apostles. There was 



HELPS TO THIXKI:NC^. 30 

no difference in Christ Avliile in the liesh nnd tlie Apostles after the 
day of pentecost. They were able to exhibit the Holy Ghost in 
the power of God any time that they saw proper, or saw it neees-, 
sary to exhibit their power to prove to the people thnt they Avere 
f^t^nt from God. Hence, in those days they could see the Son with 
their natural eyes, and hear Hira talk with their natural ears, and 
see Him exhibit His power ^^'ith their natural eyes also; 
they could see the same thino* in the Apostles after thej' were en- 
dowed ^yiih power from on high, which was done on tlie day of 
})entecost. Now, right here let u^ take notice that the Apostles, 
M'hiile Christ was with them, could not do all things during tlie 
three years that they were with Him. He was teaching them that 
He A^'as God, or that all power was in Him, consequently. He would 
give them power to do some things, and some things they could 
not do. Hence, He taught them that they were notliing without 
Him, and by those acts He gbt them to believe in Him, 
therefore, they would try to do an^'thing that He commanded 
<:>r told them to do, and, in order to still strengthen their confi- 
dence in Him, He appeared to them after His cruciiiction so th:.t 
their natural eyes could behold Him, and their natural ears hear 
liim talk, and He met with tliem at different times during the forty 
days, or up to the time of His ascension, and the last talk He had 
with them before His ascension, He told them to go to Jerusalem 
and tarry until He sent the comforter, or endowed them with pow- 
er from on high, which they did. So, after that day they had 
power to do all things even as Christ; and He told them that it 
should remain with them for.ever. So, now we see the Holy Ghost 
continuing, or in other words, the power of God, so long as tlie 
Apostles lived in flesh and any body that sinned against that super- 
natural power that they exhibited, sinned against the Hoh' Ghost. 
K^o, you see that the time is past for exhibiting supernatural power 
in flesh. Xow, all rational men well knoTv that there is no man 
now on earth that can do or perform any supernatural act, or show 
any power of God in himself. While any rational man or being 
can see, or in other words, can understand that there is an invL^i- 
ble God movino- the wheels of time and holding this universe in ac- 
tion by thousands of infallible truths. We see the air moving, or 
in other words, we feel it, and hear it listing to and from — some- 
times with silent magesty, and sometimes with vehenient velocity, 
and sometimes we see the rains held up, and sometimes we see it 
come in perfect torrents, and sometimes we see the mighty deep 
held in quiet emotion, and sometimes we see it moving boisterous, 
with waves of mountains, and sometimes we see the sun present 
her face towards us mildly and gently, and sometimes we see her 
face with burning rays, with such power as to wilt and scorch the 
^-egetables that are supported by the earth, and all these things no 
man on earth in these days, hath an}^ power over. So, we under- 
stand that there is a God of supernatural power, or in other words, 
with infinite power, but yet we see n'o visible God-neither will any 



40 HELPS TO THIK KING. 

body ever see another visible God^ or be able to do any supernatural 
thing until Christ comes again at the last coming or end of time, 
wlien we will all be brought to an account, and when every knee 
shall bow. So, my readers, you see that I admit the power of God " 
being exhibited on every side of us, but not exhibited in human 
Hesh. So, there is where the multiplicity of the world has fallen 
into error and not understanding the true facts or principles of 
Christ's constitution; and that is by the tradition of men, or in other 
words, our so-called preachers. 

You well know my readers that, if we want information on the 
scriptures, take us as a people, that we think we must go to the 
so jailed preachers. My God, what a mistake. God help every- 
])ody to get out of this mistake and go to Christ's way bill or con- 
stitution, and if you then fail to understand it get down before God 
and implore or ask Him for understanding with a sincere heart. 
Search and seek earnestly with an eye single to God for under- 
standing and never go to man except when you want knowledge of 
literature in schools, etc; but when you go to God for wisdom and 
ask Him for understanding that you may be a great man, you will 
never get it. If jou want understanding for the purpose of being 
some great one, you had better go to man for that kind of wisdom; 
for that is the wisdom of the devil and that is all the wisdom that 
the so-called preachers can teach. They can only teach the brain 
and mind. God only can teach the heart or innerman. Now, if 
you call on men or preachers for s])iritual or scriptural knowledge, 
some will give one delinition and some another, so you knov,^ that 
one of them is vrrong, and perhaps both. Many of my readers 
have heard many of the so-called preachers try to tell what sinmng 
against the Holy Ghost was and all of them made a failure. It looks 
like that if a sensible mule understood the English language that he 
would readily understand that there was no Holy Ghost now a 
days. It is strange to think that we have brought up our children 
in that kind of traditional ignorance as to think that God has in- 
spired the preacher any more than any other Christian man. If the 
so-called preacher was to be a mouth piece for God he would be in- 
spired from God and his calls and gifts would be without repen- 
tance and he never would consider one moment the dollar, for 
Christ says: '^The hireland careth not for the sheep, but for the 
hire or wages and when the wolf cometh the hireland fleeth and 
the "wolf catcheth them and scattereth the sheep." Oh, my rea- 
ders, think about it. God never suffered a man to deliver a mes- 
sage for Him on this earth except he was inspired or divine. His 
messages are already delivered to us and written by divine men to 
*stand forever. We are often foolish enough, when we hear a rat- 
tling, ready speaker in the pulpit, to say that he is surely called 
and quaiihed, we will say that it looks like God hands him words 
to speak faster than he could utter them. 

Now, let us examine the case of a lawyer, for I think that every 
sane man in the world, that is not a lawyer, will admit that God 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 41 

lias nothing to do vritli a lawyer or giving Iiim words to speak. We 
see some la-s^-^'ers that appear to have words handed to him faster 
than tongue can utter, and many so sympathetic that the whole 
court house j^udience are melted into tears. So, you see that the 
speakink qualities must come from study and practice, and many 
times seems to be hereditarj^, or in other words, the speaking quali- 
ties belongs to families. So away with that rotten idea. 

Now, Clirist could not have taught the world without divine 
])reachers because His constitution or way bill was not written 
when He was crucihed, nor neither was there any of the Testament 
written for six vears; and according to history, Matthew wrote in 
he sixth year after Christ's crucifixion, and Mark wrote in the 
cnth year, and L.iike wrote in the twenty- third year, and John 
^vrote in the sixty-fourth year, and about that time ail the Epistles 
and Kevelations were completed; therefore, the Testament, or 
Christ's ^\-ill was then on record, vrhich is our way bill to guide us 
- to the house or place that He said that He would go and 
i-rcpare for us. So, let us take Chi-ist's way bill instead of 
the devil's mouth piece for our guide, and that will carry . 
US right along through that narrow gate that Christ speaks of; and 
1, feeling and belie^'ing that I have been born into God's family, 
pray to God with all my heart, that every rational creature on 
earth may not take my word nor' no so-called preachers word on 
this earth, but take the written constitution or way bill, ' for their 
u'uide and instructor. Xow, mr preacher, you may feel like I am 
cO'ainst you or an enemy. I am not, if God is not, and if God is 
your enemy, I am your enemy. I love the spirit of God, no differ- 
ence where it dwells, and if you belong to God I love you, and if 
you belong to God He loves you and you love |Him; consequently, 
you have a listening ear and are desirous of the true word and way 
that leads to endless happiness, and if that is your position you are 
now occuj^ying a fearful ground; for old Peter says, in his writing: 
"■'it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." All 
christians fear God, though mtiltiplied thousands of people are 
marching onward the wrong road because of honest tradition, just 
as conscientious and sincere, as our old grand preacher Paul. He 
was honest, he was sincere, he was conscientious but where did he 
get his sin-cerity? He imbibed it from his cradle on up, from the 
teachings of his 23arents, his neighbors, his surroundings — yea, he 
received it from the teaching of his nation which was the strongest 
teaching that could be. So, you see that he got his sincerity from 
parents and his nation, and got his conscience the same way. 
Well, what was the matter with Paul? He was so earnest or zeal- 
ous in his doctrine that he could not stop and think because he 
could not or did not lay down his tradition if he could have |laid 
down his tradition it would not have been any trouble for him to have 
seen the right way, and he would have taken the right Avay for he 
was honest and verily believed he was doing God's will, but was 
saved, because he did it ignorantly in unbelief — see 1 Tim. 1 and 13. 



42 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 

So, my dear preacher brother, stop and. thmk and weigh 
the whole thing in the scales of common sense and see if your 
call is a traditional one; and, fm-thermore, examine yom'selves 
and see if you are not cultivating the pride of this world and great- 
ness of mankind — examine yourselves and see if it does not buoy 
you up to believe that you made a fine speech, or to hear of some 
one remarking that you preached a magniiicent sermon — or if you 
have a fine suit — a fine horse and bu,ggy; does it not puff you up? 
as Paul said to some of the churches: Well, then, if any of these 
are facts you know that you are of the devil, for pride belongs to 
the devil, and the devil was always proud and puffed up — except 
Avhen he would meet right square up with God or Christ face to 
face; that seems like it was all the disencouragement the devil 
ever had; he believed and trembled. Xow, the devil is very proud 
and loves to look fine — he wants all the polish that can be put on 
him; he loves to have fine gold watches, finger rings, ear bobs and 
everything that is gay; and he wants the prettiest face and it starch- 
ed; and he likes a nice moustache and it well twisted* and he likes 
the tenderest and softest hands; and he likes the finest victuals; and 
he likes to work the least of anybodj^; he likes to own the most prop- 
erty; and live in the finest houses; and he likes to drive the finest 
horses and ride in the finest buggies of any body; and, indeed, he 
would drive right into heaven with all his gayness and eloquent 
style if he had his way. But thanks be to God, who hath all pow- 
er, he will never suffer that old proud and grand fellow with all his 
host to march into Christ's kingdom in that kind of a fantastic style, 
and if all that kind or class and characters are kept out, that broad 
road will be full of fine and grand looking people with all their 
goods and ornaments, marching helhA'ardh^, amidst the shrieks an/1 
cries and gnashing of teeth. But, alas! too late; my financial ability 
and my beauty and my honor and my magnificence and my great- 
ness and my superiority, has failed to carry me into God's kingdom. 
So, now Mr. preacher, you hear the cries of your deciples who 
are following after your vain teaching, oh, my God! my God! 
AVhat is the matter? Why did we not see our mistake before? We 
remember tliat we understood the English language back yonder in 
yonder's world, and we remember that we had Christ's constitution 
or our way bill written in the English language, and why did we 
not read it for ourselves and take it at Avhat it said, in- 
stead of following after the grand and the vain, and the proud, and 
the many so-called preachers, tliat were preaching, some of them, 
for an easy place, and some of them for fame and honor, some 
for the almighty dollar, and some of them to keep out of the plow 
handles; and some of them, they honestly believed by tradition, for 
God. But their honest belief came from tradition. I^ow, the 
cause of this mistake was in the way we were raised and taught by 
our ancestors who were laboring under the same mistake through- 
out generations. Xow, as the rich man said to Abraham, we would 
that somebody would go back and tell our children of our mistake, 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. ' 4:^ 

and to tell them no longer to follow after vain preachers tliat are 
preaching for the pride of the world or the devil, for pride belong.^ 
feo the devil, and v.anity belongs to the devil, laziness belongs to the 
devil, for he showed Christ his possessions upon the mount. Beauty 
belongs to the devil, bigotness belongs to the devil, money belongs 
to the devil, finery belongs to the devil, grandeur or greatness be- 
longs to the deal, lust belongs to the devil, and all tilings that are 
evil belongs to the devil; and none of God's preachers, since the 
gospel was made known, ever had any desire for any of the above 
enumerated evils — that is, after tlie}^ became preachers. Christ did 
not, neither did any of the Apostles after the day of pentecost, ever 
have anf desire for monej', property, honor, greatness, beauty, 
grandeur, pride or lust, and yet, you preachers claim to be in line 
with Christ and the Apostles, who were sanctified, soul and body. 
AVhat a mistake. My God! My God! Stop and think, dig down to 
the root and sift it all out, as Peter was sifted and see how many 
preachers will be in your sifter when you get it well sifted. Think 
of the misled people that I have just been speaking of— 
think of their shrieks and cries in the next world, and think of the 
cause and who caused it — examine yourselves and see if their blood 
is not upon your hands. I hear many preachers say God knows 
my heart, I know that I am honest — I know that I desire to pro- 
mote the cause of God — I know that I desire to save sinners — I 
know that I desire to point out the way of Christ — I know I desire 
to live right, talk right, walk right, and in every sense of the word, 
serve my heavenly Master. Then, if that be so, you are not asking 
for money, for my book teaches me that you cannot serve two mas- 
ters, so you are either a strict servant of one or the other, and if 
you love one you hate the other, that cannot be denied, nor shall 
not, because Christ says it; and you are a servant of money, mam- 
mon or the devil, then you hate God, Mr. so-called preacher, 1 
admit that you are honest in all the above named facts, but Avdiere 
did you get your honesty? Perhaps you was raised by nice, high- 
toned parents, that cultivated pride and honor in you from your 
cradle, and succeeded in establishing a high principle of honor in 
your mind long before you was born in God's family. So, you see 
that pride and honor is the devil, while God's spirit is only j)U7-ity. 
So, a man cannot preach for God unless his whole mind, soul and 
body is involved in the matter — there must not be any disagree- 
ment in the matter. You see that the devil's preachers have no 
discord, for their whole soul, body and mind, agrees in one. Like- 
wise, God's preachers are the same way — all agree in one spirit and 
mind. Now, all the regenerated souls, or those that have come to 
the understanding of God's goodness. The innerman loves God 
and is desirous of keeping His commandments; consequently, it 
makes a warfare with the tlesh and spirit, or in other words, with 
God and the devil. Xow, the preacher, or in other words, Christ 
and the Apostles had no warfare. What? says one, did not Paul 
say over there in the 7th chapter of Pom., a great deal about 



44 HELPS TO THINKING. 

tlie tilings that He done that He vlesired not to do? etc. Well, we 
understand that Paul was a supei'natural man and able todo all thmgs, 
brit right here you will notice that P^aul was >speaking to the Romans 
and he knew that they were only natural men, and he knew that he 
had to speak i]i a way that they could understand him because 
they saw Him as a natural ■ man ?.nd did not understand him 
as being anytiiing else. Therefore, he had to speak of himself or 
natural man being in possession of the spirit of God, what the war- 
fare was with natural man aiid the spirit of God that they m.ight 
(Uiderstand what he meant: consequently, they would be benefitted 
in his preaching, 

lihi had have spoken ?J1 things spiritual, which he was able to do, 
;ind had not spoken of nothing tem.peral or natural, they'would not 
liave understood anything that he said — hence, he could not have 
b(?nefitted them any by his preaching. Paul said "that he would 
rather speak five words to be understood than to speak live thou- 
s; nd words that were not understood." So, you see quite a dift'er- 
( nee in Paul and the so-called preachers of to-day. They want to 
s.peaic all the high-toned and grand language that they are able to 
get into possession of in the gi-and colleges, whether it is under- 
stood by many or not. The so-called preachers would rather be 
praised and honored hy fivo liigh toned, high graded, high classed 
and magnificent people, than to have the praise and honor of five 
thousand people of a poor, low graded class, who are hewers x)f 
wood and carriers of water, and fishermen, etc. Now, my brother, 
v.re these facts or not? Does it not cover the mass of preachers 
aad, in fact all, more or less? So, now, my brother, I am only try-* 
ing to show you that it is unreasonable and impossible for a natural 
man and possessed v/ith his natural lust, to preach for or talk for, or 
represnt- God in any Vv'ay, If you represent a tiling or person you 
and the thing or person must agree, or you are not a true represen- 
tative, and you well know that no "natural man with his natural 
lust ever did agree with God because the carnel mind, or carnality 
is at enmity with God and is not subject to the will of God, neither 
indeed can be.'" So, my brother, who claims to be a preacher, I think 
I have said enough, and will say before I get through wi'iting on 
Tuy subject to cause you to ponder and weigh and sift out this thing 
minutely and see wJiat is in it. But let me say right here that you 
never can weigh nor sift nor balance up this thing right until you 
first clear your breast of tradition, and that is the heaviest task that 
any mortal ever undertook. You must first erase every impression 
ever been made on your mind by man or the conduct of man; 
you must get your heart perfectly clear of an impression 
as much so as a white sheet of blank paper, then you are 
ready to go to making impressions, or rather let the tj'pe make 
the impression and Christ's word shall be the type, and take it as it 
says, let it offend or please. Let it make you popular or un2:)opu- 
lar. Let it make you friends or enemies — let God be true and every 
•man a liar. Now, my brother preacher, whom I love as good as 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 45 

any other christian, but the truth is 'what I am seeking after. I am 
anxious that you may understand the word of God as it is written 
by His divine preachers and divine writers, and 3'ou may feel sin- 
cere, honest, candid, zealous, anxious and have waxed strong 
in your opinion and feel braced in your call; but you 
know if God called you to do His work that He would not let you 
make any mistakes in teaching His literature. While that is true 
I have heard several of the ablest so-called ministers in my coun- 
try'- recently, say that they had taught to their hearers many wrong 
ideas of God's word and things that they would not teach again for 
their right arm; but you know that the divine preachers and ^^•ri- 
ters never made any mistake in anything that they said, taught or 
wrote. They all preached, the same thing and wrote the same 
tiling, no difference how far apart they were, they were with one 
accord, and their preaching and writing got up no "confusion, but 
all in union with God. Now, let me ask a few plain, sensible ques- 
tions, and I pray that when you read them that you will lay down 
all prejudices and tradition and answer them conscientiously before 
(Tod, knowing that you have to give an account to God for your 
whole christian life. Now, is God the author of confusion? I an- 
swer no. Well, is the religious world now in confusion? I answer 
yes. Who led the religious world into a confusion? I emphatically 
answer the so-called preachers. That is too plain a case to debate, and 
a good sensible ten year old boy knows that if he would give it a 
good thought. Xow, for Christ's sake and for God's sake, and for 
lieaven's sake, one and all. Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterians, and 
all other denominations, quit teaching creedism any more. Get 
right down to hghthig tradition, creedism, manism, and all the isms 
of men, and contend with everybody to take the plain English 
written word, for if the Testament is written wrong our school books, 
histories, newspapers and all manuscripts are written wrong. They 
are all written in the same English . language. One preacher may 
say that I have been 23reaching for hfty years, another one irsly say 
that I have been 2:>reaching for forty years, another one may say 
that I have been preaching for thirty years, another one may say 
that I have been preaching for twenty years, and another one may 
say that I have been preacinng for ten years, and I cannot forsake 
the principles arid doctrines that I have been advocating so 
many years. Therefore, I feel substantuated and confirmed 
in my call, and my feelings convinces me of my calling. Wd must 
first notice where we get our feelings. It is from teaching of men 
in most cases, for one women comes up and says my feeling con- 
vinces me that I ought to have my child sj^rinkled, and another wo- 
man comes up and says that my feelmgs convinces me that I ought 
not to have my child sprinkled. So, you see that they did not 
both get their feelings from the word of God because it does not 
teach both. 

Now, I am aware, as I know something of human jiature, or man- 
kind, that you preacher men of high renown and of high positions, 



46 HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 

and on tlie gospel horse, and, especially, where the horse is fat — - 
though you were to be made to see the fact as it is and as I see, 
you would not be willing to come down from your high, 
honorable or easy position, and march on a level with 
God's people, or rather as the Apostles did below a level, and think 
of the one most important thing that Christ taught the Apostles 
and that was "He that thouo-ht he was the o-reatest should be the 
least." Oh, my dear preacher, that is on the fat horse and wear- 
ing the purples and living on the luxuries of this world. Think of 
the rich man, according to the teaching of Christ; your good things 
Aviil end in this world. You remember that the Apostles in their 
])reaching tour went very poorly garbed, perhaps, sometimes bare- 
footed and always a foot and suffered with hunger and with heat 
and cold and dishonored by the noblemen; but now, it seems as the 
scale has turned and the preacher rides the most, goes barefooted 
the least and Avears the finest clothes and hungers the least^ and 
eats the best victuals and honored the most and preach to the poor 
and inferior and the ragged and the distressed'jn finance, the least; 
and, still, that class to feed them in their laziness, and grandeur. We 
see some good poor christian with families, living on as little as one 
hundred dollars per annum and at the same time some preachers get- 
ting from live hundred dollars to two thousand dollars per annum, 
and still say that they must have more or they Avill not serj^e^hem; 
but thanks be to God, that He sent His son here to serve the poor 
as well as the rich, and I further thank God that He undisputably 
made a specialty of the poor while the educated, the noble, the 
mighty, the rich, the great, the vain and the proud think and shoA\' 
by their conduct that they are the special of this earth; but 
AS'liere did they get their instruction? I am sure that they never 
got it from God, therefore, the}^ most assuredly have gotten it from 
the wisdom of this world. God not only sent His son to preach 
and serve the poor, but His son sent and qualified the Apostles to 
preach and write the preached word and without charge to any 
one; for Paul said that his reward was: "That when he preached 
and made the gospel of Christ without charge that he might not 
abuse his power in the gospel, for though I be free from all men 
A'et have 1 made mvself a serA'ant unto all that He mio-ht grain the 
more" — 1 Cor. 9 and 18, 19. Though Paul was not tr^dng to gain 
the goods of this Avorld, but had an eye single to God, always seek- 
ing after spiritual things that God had called him from before the 
foundation of the ivorld to preach the gospel of Christ making 
known to the blinded Jews the salvation of Christ and he had no 
interest in nothing else but God, and cared nothing for the things 
of thi^ Avorld for he said: "The goods of this Avorld were as dung 
to him that he might win Christ" — Phil. 3 and 9; and also, to do 
the will of Christ, and moreover, Ave find that Paul, A\-ith the rest 
of the Apostles, plead to the churches to feed the poor, and lay u]) 
for the poor on the first day of the Aveek according as God had 
])rospered them, but said that he would not or did not make him- 



HELPS TO THINKING. 47 

self chargable to the cliurch, but was willing to take it a foot, and 
many times poorly clothed and many times hungry and many times 
wearied and tired and wet and cold and faint and sick and whipi)e<l 
and bound in chains and irons, and yet, amidst all of this it was all 
joy to Paul; and, at the Kame time, he was known in that country 
to be one of the high-toned, law abidin.g, good citizens— highly edu- 
cated and highly honored, and, perhaps, a man of tine property, or 
at any rate, a man of high standing and had an easy birth and had 
a great influence among the noble and great of the country — and 
had the religion of that grand and noble class of people who were 
of the strictest sex in reference to obedience to the law. He was a 
man in whom they put the highest estimation; and a man that 
had greater success than any of his equals; and a man doubtless, 
that prided in his honor among his people. All these being facts, 
how is it that he could make such a sacrifice as to give uj) all of 
his goods of this world and the honors of this world and forsake 
uid be forsaken by a people that he so well loved and honored, and 
take a low calling among men, and work against a people that he 
so dearly loved and that so dearly loved him, and, more than that, 
to get off of the fantastic vehicle that w^as drawn by a fantastic 
horse, ornamented Avith the silver plated, harness, and perhaps, was 
a two-forty trotter, and he having the honor of being considered su- 
perior to any among his people? There is only one way to an- 
swer that question and that is for God to' make him a superna- 
tural man, which he did with all the rest of the Apostles and made 
them equal to Christ in all things, for Paul said he could do 
all things. I wedge in this argument right here to prove 
■'•e ^^osition of the perfection of the Apostles and their 
equalization to Christ while in the liesh. Now, to take up 
the present so-called preacher, we will have to reverse the thing en- 
tirely whilst Chjist and the Apostles preached to the poor without 
charge, and denied themselves of all the pleasures and comforts of 
this world, and plead for the poor to be helped. "We find the so- 
called preacher feasting on all the good and fat of this world that 
he can get, and reaping all that they can off of the poorest people 
of our laiid, and many of them scant of clothes for themselves and 
children and, perhaps, not meat three times a week and scant of 
bread, and still say we cannot serve you unless you pay us more, 
for I cannot Avear jeans as you do, and I cannot wear a seventy- 
five cents hat as you, and brogan shoes as you do — -neither can my 
wife wear checks as yours does; or even calico as yours does; 
neither can she card and spin as yours does, nor hoe cotton and 
corn as yours does, and we cannot do without meat half the time 
as you do, and we must have some chickens Und eggs and hams, 
for I am not willing to forsake my high life, and my high 
standing and position in life, and go poorly equipped and scant of 
clothes and live hard and be looked down on by the higher class of 
people and preach for you poor people without you pay me. And, 
my dear preacher, neither will you do it unless God makes you as 



48 HELPS TO THINKING. 

he did Paul a supernatural man, holy and sanctified, that you may 
feel as Paul did that the cares and goods of this world is as dung^ 
to you. 

My dear reader, you very plainly see that I have great zeal in 
reference to the Avorld being deceived by tradition. God knows 
iii3^ inner thoughts. I pray day and night that some revolution 
may take place with or among Plis deceived and blinded children, 
wlio have been blinded by the tradition of this ^ world, which has 
been going on and on centuries, and waxing stronger and stronger 
until the people have become so zealous in the tradition of their 
teachers, that it would take the Holy Ghost to convince the people 
of their tradition; but, says one, we have the Holy Ghost with us 
e^'ery day; but oli, what a mistake, for the Holy Ghost is the power 
of God shown or exhibited in human flesh, like a man doing mira- 
cles, such as raising the dead, healing the sick and curing all man- 
ner of diseases, etc., which never has been done since the last in- 
spired Apostles died. Now, the Pharisees or Jews having had the 
law among them 1200 or 1500 years before Christ, that they wax- 
ed very strong and zealous in the law; and, although, the Holy 
Ghost was among them in order to convince them, they could not 
let loose the law, for their zeal of the law was so strong that they 
thought it would save them,, at the same time, Christ showing them 
that He was the Messiah spoken of by the prophets, by showing 
tiiem His supernatural power in numerous miracles, and told them 
that He was the end of the law to all that would believe on Him; 
but, yet, the law had been handed down from generation to gener- 
ation and believing that it had saved their fathers that were dead 
and gone, hence, they believed it would save them and that was 
good enough for them; consequently, they could not let loose the 
law and take hold of faith; therefore, they died in their sins, and, 
any man with the thinking powers of a sharp monkey ought to be 
able to see and know that we are now growing into that condition 
as fast as the wlieeis_of time caii roll us on. The teachings of men 
has been going on so long and their teachings and doctrines be- 
coming so popular; from the fact it has been taught- by .so many 
great noblemen and mighty men in speech, mighty men in lan- 
guage, mighty men as to-worldly wisdom and mighty men in religious 
literature. These leaders, teachers and preachers being possessed 
of all these admirable qualities and superiorities, in the estimation 
of all us laboring, unlearned and poor class of people, until we earn- 
estly believe they are leading us the right way, and that they 
know which is the right way, and, therefore, we are willing to trust 
them and their religious books, and their religious newspapers to 
lead us to heaven, where Jesus is. But, alas! What a mistake. 
My God! My God!- I pray thee in thy infinite power and wisdom, 
if it be in accordance to thy will, that thou wouldst bring about 
something to awaken us up to a consideration of the state of affairs 
that are now exhisting among us, and give us jDower and strength 
and heavenly wisdom to investigate the ground that we stand on 



HELPS TO THINKING. 49 

and enable us to learn the difference between the religion of the 
•i'reat men of this world and the religion of Jesns Christ. I prny 
and trust and know that all of God's children has a listening ear 
and a heart open to conviction, and my dear brother and sister, \vt 
us examine ourselves and see, if we have not we are yet children of 
the devil, and if we have hearts 0})en to convictions, then let us 
consider, reflect, pray and ask God for heavenly knowledge that 
we may see and know Avhether our religion is the religion of great 
men or the religion of Jesus Christ. After we have weighed and 
balanced the matter up well, lind that our religion is the religion of 
great men, tlien let us do like Paul when he found th?^t he had the 
relio'ion of the Pharisees. . He forsook them and their reli<jrion an<l 
turned to Jesus Christ, the living God and walked after His teach- 
ing the balance of his days, and fought all great men's doctrines 
to the bitter end. Then, let us do likewise wlien we see (by 
reading Christ's word which is written in plain English language,) 
that we have suffered ourselves to be misled by our so-called 
preachers who have been our leaders, enticing us with vain and. 
U'rand Ian ouap-e' which has been tauo-ht and handed down to them 
from generation to generation until they honestly believe that they 
aro doino- God's will and that God is blessino- them with eji'eat and 
j)Owerful words to utter to their hearers, when, at the same time 
if they would open their hearts to conviction and read where Paid 
says: "I came not in excellenc}^ of speech or wisdom of this world 
declaring the testimony of God, for my speech and preaching was 
not with enticing words of man's wisdom" — 1 Cor. 2 chap. 1 and 5, 18 
verses. Again Paul ssljs: "Christ sent him not with wisdom of 
words" — 1 Cor. 1 and 17 and 2 Pet. 1 and 16. Thej Avould surely 
>ee and be convinced of their Avonderful and un-Godly mistake. 
J)Ut if their tradition has grown and waxed so strong that they can- 
not nor will not give a listening ear and receive Christ's own ever- 
lasting written word; let us who have been followers of these blind 
leaders, when we have been made to see of a truth ouy infallible 
mistake, turn right about as Paul did and take God's word that was 
written by the grand old Apostles, and fight all the wisdom and 
greatness of this world, which vanity is carrying on, which Solo- 
man says: "Vanitiy of vanities, all is vanity." She is exhibiting 
herself in many ways and in many places; we see her exhibit her- 
self in the shape of fine and beautiful organs in our church houses 
with a selection of the most beautiful fine appareled young damsel 
that can be selected in the audience to play, with her well cultivated 
and melodious voice, and with her little tinie white fingers, (from hav- 
ing been raised up in pride, idleness and laziness) giving tone, honor, 
gladness and joy to the whole house, when, at the same time, if 
there was a Christ there to have selected a good, plain, pleasant, 
mild and rehgious young damsel like Mary, (that chose the good 
part.) with a plain and clean domestic dress on, accompanied with a 
sun bonnet, to have played the organ, you could hear a contempta- 
ble langh all over the house, or audience. Secondly, we see the 



60 HELPS TO THINia:N'G. 

vanity exhibited in the church houses in fine apparel with a great por- 
tion of the audience, and sometimes, all, consisting in the finest i>i 
goods that can be bought, accompanied with all manner of fine jew- 
elry and fashions of the vain world; and, perhaps, we will see more 
of it with the sj^eaker or preacher and his wife, than any in the house; 
but their fine appearance and noble and magnificent language ac- 
compained with their fantastic ways, liypocritical and deceitful 
chat, entertains the whole house or audience with perfect interest, 
and, perhaps, many remarks being made among the audience that 
the sermon delivered was the most sublime and grand one that 
they ever heard, and perhaps not a word of truth in it. So, you 
see what vanity will do. We see vanity exhibit itself in the so- 
called religious institutes, where God's so-called ministers resort, to 
fit and qualify themselves that they may be able to understand 
Cjod's divine law that he may be able to speak divinely; and that 
they may be able to speak the various languages in a sub- 
lime and magnificent manner, that they may make themselves elo- 
quent in speech and language, eloquent in delivery, eloquent in 
oritory, eloquent in a standing position, eloquent in jestures, and 
when all these qualities are magnificently completed, he can boldly 
and proudly rise before an audience with his gay suit on and push 
up his coat sleeves that his fine cuff buttons may be seen by the 
audience who are sittinsj before him — entertainino- a feeling: within 
liis breast that I am honored by my hearers and that God is proud 
of me because of my completeness in His work, w^hilst I hear one 
say: "Oh, what a mistake the writer has gotten into, for I know it 
lias been the greatest burden of my life to get up before an audi- 
«ence and try to preach." That I admit to be true in thousands of 
cases, because you feel like you have not got eloquent language 
-and oratorcial abilities to interest your hearers, and your call from 
God come in such a low whisper, and you see so much of your own 
tc>kl meanness, which was inherited from Adam, it makes you shrink 
back and quiver at the very thoughts of delivering God's message 
to a people that has got the word of God, which was delivered over 
1800 years ago, in its purity and power. We do not see any ac- 
count of any of the Apostalic preacjiers claiming it any burden to go 
forward and preach for God, but it was all joy to them. Of course, 
they hungered, tired, suffered the fatigue and tortures of the flesh, 
but it was all joy to their souls, and, though they were uneducated 
and destitute of fine clothes and, perhaps, barefooted and had nev- 
er been to 'any of these divine or theological schools and in a 
word, had no eloquence about them but was poor laboring men 
fishino; for their livinoj and amidst all this, I imaojine that old Peter 
preached as good a sermon, if not better, the first time that he ever 
preached on the day of pentecost. I am of the opinion that the 
first sermon was the best he ever did preached. 

We see vanity exhibit herself in the associations. We find the 
body of so-called preachers like old Peter and some of the rest of 
the Apostles. They seem to be desirious to know who is or shall 



HELPS TO THINKING. 51 

be the greatest one in the body, but my readers, I hoj^e you will 
bear it in mind that this vain principle or disposition among the Apos- 
tles were before the day of pentecost, when they were endowed 
with power from on high, and sanctified or made holy in the Hesh). 
One will have some kind of a cut or dried speech on some doctrine 
that he wishes to discuss, and when he has made his imagined 
grand speech accompanied with all the vain and enticing language 
that he is competent to handle, and perhaps, as Paul said, puffed 
up Avith the opinion that he will not be surpassed in that body, but, 
perhaps, to his surprise, up jumps some starchy young fellow pulling 
his fancy moustache and remembering that he has been, off in a reli- 
gious institute studying divinity until he believes that he is a first 
rate theologian, and fires in with his grand language and teaching 
divine things with his eloquents so great until he has attracted the 
attention of the whole body and perhaps the decision of the blind- 
ed audience is that he has downed the preceding fellow who had 
his case cut and dried and consequently, is the gi*eatest one of the 
two; but, perhaps there is another one in that body who has been 
raised up in the school room, having the advantage of a rich parent 
who, also, has put him through the divine or theological schools, 
and more than that, perhaps he is from a certain city down South 
or up North, rises to his feet with his magnificent city apparel an<l 
commences his discourse with all the eloquence that can attain to a 
man being accomplished all that the science of the present day will 
accomplish him, and beautifying his speech with his grand jestures 
accompanied with some hypocritical and deceitful smiles, pretend- 
ing that he is full of the love and spirit of God. Hence, the whole 
audience decoyed off and absorbed with the impression that he is 
one of God's Paulites and full of the Holy Ghost and would al- 
most be ready to believe that he could administer the spirit to a 
poor sinner; consequently, the body of people is ready to conclude 
that he has downed both the others and he is the greatest one of 
the crowd', hence, you have got him puffed and stuffed until it 
would be dangerous to be about him if he was of a combustible 
nature and any chance of ignition. 'And, so you see, that is the way 
vanity is progressing among what is called God's ministers — a lead- 
ing God's babes who are not able to eat strong meat, into the snares 
of the devil. Now, whilst there are jilenty more in this association 
body as full of vanity as these foregoing fellows that I have dis- 
cribed and have or would have just as much desire to be the greatest 
one of the body as these great ones; but knowing their disadvantage 
and incompetency as to the wisdom of this world they desist and 
decline trying to show their greatness. Now my readers you all 
know that these are facts or at least those of you who are accus- 
tomed to going to associations; but every body is accustomed to 
going to campmeetings and you can see the same thing exhibit her- 
self among the preachers there. They are all full of vanity and 
would love to be the bigest preacher oil the campground. 

I defy any man or preacher on earth to show one instance or 



HELPS TO THINKING. 



particle of vanity of any of the Apostles or God's preachers after 
they become to be preachens; the Apostles were not preachers un- 
til after the day of pentecost where the}'" received tlieir sanctifica- 
tion or holiness before that day. They Avere just the same as any 
believer in this day and time. They would falter and go back on 
what they said and wore full of vanity and one wanted to be the 
^Teatest of the crowd; and if Christ had have left them as natural men 
and having natural lust about them, their preaching a,nd doctrine 
would have been as rotten as the doctrine of the so-called preachers 
to-day. Yea, it would have been as rotten as hell itself, but thank;^ 
be to God t'fie Saviour of the believers they were not left natural 
men but made supernatural men just as good as Christ himself 
v\'hile in the flesh, for he was tempted in the flesh in all pointK 
like we are and touched, with the feelings of our infirmities, Heb. 
4 audi. 15, but had no sin, oi' in other words, had no lust. lie would 
tliirst, as we thirst; he would hunger, as we hunger; he would tire, 
as we tire; he v>^ould wearj^, as we weary; he would suffer with heat 
and cold, as we suffer with heat and cold; he would suffer pain 
in the flesh, as we suffer pain jn the flesh; he desired to sleep, as 
we desire to sleep; but did not desire any of the goods of this world 
nor did not have any desire for the different sex, any more than if 
they never had been but one sex; and after the day of pentecost 
the ApOstles were precisley the same way. I declare that fact vnth- 
out fear of successful contradiction. 

Peter cared not for his wife any more after the day of pentecost. 
Xo^r one more infallible truth, right here, when anything is full, 
there can not be anj'thing mixed with it for there is no room for 
anything to J)e mixed with it. Novf, John the Baptist was full of 
tije Holy Ghost from his mqtlier's womb and Christ was full of the 
Holy Ghost, for He was the Holy Ghost, and the Apostles were full 
of the Holy Ghost from tiie da}^ of pentecost, which was the power 
of God shown or made knovrn in human flesh. The spirit and tlie 
Holy Ghost is different for proof, John 7' and 38 and 39 verses 
which read tlius: "He that believeth in me, out of his belly shall 
flow rivers of living'' water." The living water is the spirit of 
course; but, spake he of the spirit, that they should receive for the 
Holy Ghost was not yet given, because he was not yet glorified. 
XoAv, a man receives the spirit of God at the time that belief comes, 
and so did all the disciples receive the spirit of God at the time 
they believed on Christ, but none of them never jeceived the Holy 
Ghost until the day of pentecost, which was sanctiflcation Holiness 
h)\e and power; for Christ was sanctiflcation. Christ was Holiness, 
Clnist was hjve, Christ was power, Christ was flesh, but without 
lust, and so the Apostels ^vere all of these things after the day of 
pentecost and had no vanity about them neither were they subject 
to vanit}'. 

Whilst old Adam and Eve had no vanity about them, but t'hey 
were subject to vanity, consequently, when they fell into vanity by 
tlie knowledge of lust they were then as full of lust and pride as 



HELPS TO THIXKING. 53 

aiiv of us; but their pride and lust had not been cultivated like it is 
now, hence, they were not so vain as we are in the present day. 
Xow, I wisli my readers to understand tliat I tiiid no fault to any 
one for having vanity and pride about them for that is the way 
tliat our father A<hini was created, hence, we have the same natui-c; 
]>ut where we commit the wrong is in cultivating pride and vanity 
for we should not follow after vanit}^ — 1 Samuel 12 and 21; for 
every man that walketli in vanity sho'\\s they are disquieted in 
vanity — Ps. 89 and 6. The vanity of this world always calls for 
t.Iie wisdom of this worhh The prophet Job says: "Vain mail 
would be wise — Job. 11 and 12. So, we plaudy see that the be- 
lieving family of God should war against vanity *for all common 
sensed men and women that l)olong to God's family and reads the 
Xew Testament and takes it for their guide Avell knows that 
vanity is contrary to God's nature and is of the devil. Then, my 
brother and sister, who are rich and educated and able to cultivate 
vanitv', why is it that you are marching through this world on 
your greatness and superiority and making yourselves conspicuous 
in })ublip places, tln*owing off your vain and grand language in or- 
<]er to bring yourselves into notice, when Christ says do not use 
vain reputition? — Matthew 6 and 7. You are not glorifying God 
and are becoming vain in your imaginations — Pom. 1 and 21, your 
very thonglits are contrary to God and are of tlie devil; for you l)e- 
lieve that you are mighty in words and a line appearance and jier- 
liaps you may feel that you are mighty in property, beauty and 
reputation, therefore, according to what Paul says your tho.ughts 
are vain — 1 Cor. 8 and 2U. You that feel your superiority amoug 
men will always try to carry your point by polishing and beautify- 
ing your testimom' with alhn-ing "^^'ords. Hence, trying to deceive 
the laboring and minor class of j^^ople* that you may make your 
worldly travel Avith ease and pleasure — Ephc. 5 and 6. Therefore, 
the religion of this class of people is vain — James 1 and 26. Whilst 
I admit that you are subject to vanitj^ according to your creation in 
Adam, for the creature was made subject to vanity — Pom. 8 and 20. 
But you should not cultivate vanity but make war against it on all 
points and at all times. Xow, you that claim to have the religion 
of Jesus Christ, which is the lumible, the meek, 'the lowly, the plain, 
the modest and the industrious, or in other words, the ones that get 
their living by the sweat of their face, and seeing at the same time 
that your religion is as different from tliat as day is from night, or 
as far from Christ's religion as the east is from the west. If you 
will read all the above pointed scriptures and govern yourselves 
accordingly. You will be found like old Paul ^hen on his way to 
Damascus following after his vanity, turning right about leaving off 
vanity and taking the footsteps of Christ asking God what wilt thou 
have us to do. Xow, this address is directly to the children of-' 
God or those that claim that they have put on Christ and came out 
from among the world by joining the church. I care not how you 
are raised — rich or poor, I ask you, before God, that are livuig in 



5-i HELPS TO THIN*KIN"G. 

an idle way or without bVoor and in a vain or proud way, following 
the fashions of this world by wearing all manner of jewehy, with all 
the finest apparel that lisart coiilil wish— enjoying all the luxuries 
of this world without any emplo3''in3nt, cultivating. pride and vanity 
every daj that you live, how you expect to escape hell fii-e? As 
all the scriptures that I have pointed out to you, plainly teach 
that all idleness, pride and vanit}^ is ol: the devil and belongs to the 
devil. Consequently, at the last day you will land into hell iire, 
WJiere there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth and crying out 
for mountains and rocks to fall on you. 

I^ow, my dear children of God, who are not bastards, and who 
are blinded hj the tradition of vain fashions, styles, manners, and 
habits of our country and our leaders, God help you to examine all 
the foregoing scriptures carefully, prayerfully considering at the same 
time that it is not the language of the writer but it is the language 
of God, and God cannot lie; then will you take the living God who 
is truth for the man of joiiv counsel, or will you take the fast horse 
and wisdom, of this world vfho is full of swelling words of vanity? — 
2 Per. 2 and 18, and walking in vanity of their minds — Ephe.-4 and 
11, child like for childhood and youth, are vanity — -Ecct. 11 and 10, 
])ut rather turn from your tradition of vanities unto the living God 
and be saved from eternal fire — Acts 14 and 15. Remembering 
that all is vanity — Ecct. 1 C. and 2 and 14 verses ando C. 2 and 19 
2 C. and 1 vs., and 4 C, 8 vs. and 12 C. and 16 vs. But me thinks 
I hear one say to the writer: Have you not traveled in the same 
vain road all your life? Yes, I have. Are }■ on not still traveling 
the same road? By the help of God I am waring against it and 
intend to continue the warfare as long as I live in this world, or in 
other words, in this bod^r of flesh Gocl being my helper. One says, 
I see you are an ordinary *m.an, limited education. How come 
you to depart from your traditional raising and teaching? God 
only knows, but if it was' not from traveling over this United States 
so much, up and down the railroads to and fro, from city to city, 
from town to toAvn, from village to village, and seeing so much of 
the vanity of this world, I cannot tell. ^Seeing the j^ride and^^vain- 
ness of the people that I have seen on the railroads, cities and 
towns. I have been made to wonder why God suffered this earth 
to remain peopled; but seeing that God's word says that He worketh 
all things after the counsel of His own will, I was then made to pray 
to God to help me to tear from my breast the teachings of vain 
man and take the word as it is written by the holy Apostels and 
take none other; although I saw and uwderstood that if I laid down 
the vain teachings of man and fought the vain teachers who^ are 
the preachers side by side v/ith all other great men of this world, 
which will include the lawyers, doctors and all the political men 
and leaders among us, that I would be ignored dishoftered and per- 
secuted hj all the grand leaders and high toned, proud and vain 
people; they would look on me with an eye of scan, but remembr3r- 
iTlg that "Christ said if God be for me who can be against me?" I 



HELPS TO THINKING. 55 



was en abler! to rally and s^j God help me to take the naked 
divine word and follow it irrespective of man if it leals me to hell, 
for if Christ be there I desire to go there, that I may lean on Christ, 
for I would rather be with Christ in hell destitute of water, food 
and raiment, than to dine with Spur^'en, Talmage and Sam Jones 
m the Kings palace, with all the grand and magnificent apparel 
and luxuirious nutriments that natural vain ^nan's heart could desire. 
Though I am called a lieretic — -though am dishonored — though I am 
scorned at by the great of the world, T care not. Thank God I 
have lost all desire of making m;fself popular pmiong the vain, the 
proud, th3 noble, the mighty and the grand of this earth and go as 
it were with my back bo we 1 down all the days of my life, like the 
poor Dublican that understood he was not honored amonor the noble 
fdiarisees Avho were of the vain teachings of the noble of the day 
in which they lived. He felt no honor attached to him for he 
knew lie was not one of the law abi'ling-men and they were taugh.t 
in those days that one v»dio obeyed not the law was a sinner. So 
he felfthat he vras nothing but a poor sinner and needed the helj* 
of a Saviour, for there was no good about him. And, my christian 
friends, so it is with us — -if we have tlie spirit or understanding of 
Govl which is light, v^e are able to see our nothingness and there- 
fore feel the need of a Saviour, except we have suffered ourselves* 
to be led oil by our vain and bliivl leaders and through zealousness 
«)r earnestngss of our teaching. We are, also, blinded and cannot 
see or understand the truth as it is laid down, nor indeed, never 
will unless we can turn loose the tradition that we have been 
brought up under, for it is a certain fact, if we are holding to one 
thing, we never can take hold of anything else until we turn loose 
the one that w^e are holding to, and it is a very hard thing to turn 
loose a limb when it looked sound and strong, and especially, .when 
}'0u cannot see that it is giving a.way; but, indeed, we som_etimes 
take hold of a rotten limb, or drive on to a rotten bridge because 
we see that others have driven on; consequently, when we see that 
others have driven on we will drive on without an examination, 
when, at the same time if we were to examine we might find tliat 
it was unsafe or rotten. Kence, we would seek for another, al- 
though it had been carrying us safe for twenty, thirty, forty or fif- 
ty years. AYe will no longer risk it after we find that it is rotten, 
for we now understand tliat it is unsafe, therefore, my dear blinded 
children of God, who have been traveling over 'the rotten bridge 
for genera<tion after generation, when you cannot help but see that 
the bridge is rotten and unsafe, by the help of God will you travel 
over it no longer and get out of the mire and plnce your feet upon 
the rock which is Christ and the Apostles? — Christ being the chief 
corner stone. I hear one saying, how do you know that you are 
right when the wisdom of the vrhole world is against you? I know 
it because God says so and He cannot lie, for I see and read His 
word and I feel His love and power. So, how do j'ou know that 
the skies are blue? You will readily say, because I see them. How 



5(1 IIELVS TO Tim KING. 



^'fll 



do YOli know tliat it is cloud}'? You will readily say, because I see 
tlie clouds and see that the skies and sun are hidden. How do you . 
know that the wind is blowing? You wilt readily say, because I 
feel and hear it listiiJg. How do you know that quinine is bittei-? 
You will readily sa}^, because I tasted it. How do you know, that 
there is carrion near by? Youv>'i]l readily say, that I smelt it. 
How do you know that it thundered? You will readily say that I 
lieard it. So, you see that there are live ways by which we knoAV a 
thing or ratlier know all things that Ave do know. Says one, how 
do you know that the scriptures are the vs'ord of God? Because I 
know that they are written contrary to natural man, and I know it 
by the various census of knowledge, for if natural man had have 
written them, he certainly Y^ould have written them to suit or cor- 
respond with natural man. Therefore, I know that they were writ- 
ten by divine men and divinity belongs to God and the Apostles 
M^ere God- like, not onl}?- in their Avriting but in their walk, talks, 
tlioughts, maniiers and actions, in every particular, was Godly, holy 
and divine; while, at the same time many of the so-called or preten- 
dended. p/reachers would say that old Peter, was an old sinner and 
liad no religion and that he fell tVom grace, etc. Poor weak man 
(daiming to be a mouth piece for God, and does not know any more 
about the love of God than a good old buggy horse. Poor man, 
who has decieved himself, or is a liypocrit and I do not know wliich 
to say. • 

Xow, all the Apostles received the spirit of love at the time they 
became to be followers of Christ but still was infallible and im})er- 
fect during Ciirist's Heshly life, except at times Avhen He would 
(Uidow tliem with power from on high, during the three years tliat 
he was teaching them aiid walking with them in person and converting 
them to tlie knowledge that the power was all in Him and that they 
had no power without Him but after His fleshly Awalkwith them on 
earth ended, they were left alone as far as His person was concern- 
ed; but they had the same power of Christ and the same love and 
tiie same purity and the same holiness and the same sanctifi cation and 
the same infirmities and the same sinless or lustness nature or hi 
other words, they were divine as Christ in every senser of the word, 
after they received the comforter or the Holy Ghost Christ. 

Christ was nothing more nor less than a supernatural man wlnle 
in the flesh, for if He had have had no supernatural qualities He 
would have been nothing but a natural man, and, at any rate, the.y 
were the same after the day of pentecost. There is no middle 
ground for a man- — he is either divine or natural, one of the two. I 
have heard a few poor weak-minded traditional tanight preachers 
say that they were inspired. God help them to exercise common 
sense and see their mistaken idea. Every child of God since the 
<lays of the Apostles are inspired alike, as far as the spirit of God 
is concerned. Whilst I know that our natural abilities are very dif- 
ferent, we see many men that cannot tell whatthey knowand we.see 
others that seeingly can tell" more than they ordinarily know. 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 57 

Ileuce, wc uiiderstancl that all these abilities are natural and eoine 
from the wisdom of this world; for we all ^\'ell know that the ])r<.»- 
faue and Avieked men of this world are as powerful in the v/isdom 
of this world as any part of the creation, for we all well know that 
(n)d's^ spirit is far from laAvyers and })olitical men, and there is jis 
mueli natural ability among them as any people on earth; v>diile, at 
the so^ie time, many of them claim to be clii-istians; but far be it 
from them. It is trut I believe that many of t]iem are God's chil- 
dren, l>ut not chi'istians for a christian is Christ-like, and we kno\s' 
tliat no guile was found in his mouth; and my readers you all well 
know that the violes^t murderer or the most wilful incendiary ou 
earth, can readily get any laA\yer to defend him if he has a thous- 
and dollars to spare, and the}' will do everything that they can to 
liberate such an one to remain among the good people of the country 
and perhaps ma^^ know at the same that the evidence that liberated 
the scoundril Avas as false and corrupt as^ liell itself; and, perhaps 
this lawyer may claim that he is one of the so-called preachers of 
the gospel. Xow, if this is Christ-like, I have got the wrong testa- 
ment. V^ou can all call that the religion of God if you want to; 
1)ut 1 :im autliorized by Clirist to call it the relioion of the devil. 

My dear lawyer, chastisement and re])uke seemith hard and 
maketh tliee murmer at the moment; but God's children afterwards 
realizes the good of it for Paul says that: 'iGodlej^ sorrow worketh 
re])entance'that kneed not to be repented of." I am aware that 1 
have both kindred and friends that are lawyers, but miderstandmg as 
I do I would be compelled to say the same if I was a lawer myself, 
for 1 am sure I have no personal feeling at any lawyer on .earth, 
hence, I speak from principle. And I should not have put in this 
cojicernino; the lawver, rio-ht here, if it were not that so many of 
the lajvyers are claiming to be God's so-called preachers. I purpas(i 
brinoino- in the curse of the lawver at another time if I do not for- 
get. 

After one moments reflection, I am persuaded that now is as 
good a time as any. I can safely say that there is just as honest 
and conscienscious good and upright men among the lawyers as there 
are in any class of people, and men among them that I have as nmch 
confidence in their financial dealings as anybody, and men among 
them that I really like and admire as first-rate men, but I cannot 
say that there are any christians among them. I do not hesitate tc) 
,say that there are many of God's children among them; but if chil- 
dren, they, are not in their duty, nor not taking the foot-steps of 
Christ and to be a christian is to be Christ-like or take the foot- 
stej^s of Christ; then Christ never taught nor laid the example of 
false pretence, or decej^tion, nor he never held up for wrong 
or false, but always condemned wrong, and not considering 
})0pularit3'' or money; but was found on the side of principle. There- 
fore, 1 say unto the lawyers that claims to be the children of God 
and especiall}^ to those that claim to be a mouth piece for God, 
weigh yourselves in Christ's scales and see how much you would 



58 * HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 

^veigh. I am not certain that you would weigh anything, but ex- 
ainine for yourselves and j^ou will see at once that you are not 
chi-istians. You will further see that if God's children at-all that 
you are displeasing God. Hence, receiving the frowns of God, 
and will be brought to an account at the great day. Then .when 
you have weighed, pondered, thought, considered, and examined 
thoroughly into your case, you are able to see that ^there is fitterly 
a wrong in you or your practice. Then God help you to with- 
draw yourselves from the business and practice and resort to some- 
thing that would be pleasing to God if it is the plow handles, whilst 
I know that would be a bitter pill to many; but better to take a 
few bitter pills in this unfriendly world than to have to drink down 
the gall of bitterness througliout eternity. Now, you that are law- 
yers and not claiming to be in God's family,! have not got good har- 
ness on you and only a single line; but you do know what honesty 
is, and you know what right is, and you know what fair is, and you 
know what truth is, andyouknow what justice is, and you know what 
trick is, and you know what taking the advantage is, and you 
know whether it is right or not to make a man think he has got a 
bad case to set a big: fee out of him, and vou know whether it is 
right or not to charge a man from two to ten times too much for 
your services, and you know whether it is right or not to take the 
last cow and calf from *a poor man's children, and you know that 
many such things have been done, and you know that it is not doing 
unto others as you would have them to do unto you, and the truth 
of tlie business is you know tliat a lawyer is the most uncalled for 
tlwng that ever was on God's earth, and you know if you wanted 
justice you would onh^ want jowr case before a magistrate and the 
])lain writtei] law with the evidence of the facts in the case, then 
you would expect justice; but in case you wanted to evade justice 
or play a ti'ick, you would want a lawyer and he would be most 
sure to accomplish it, unless there was a lawyer against you on the 
other side, who was possessed Avith tricks like you. Now, the way 
the \n\Yii ai*e now, we are obliged to have lawyers for they have got- 
ten the laws mystiiied so much that a farmer or any other man who 
lias not studied law, cannot understand anything about the law 
73oints, and, indeed, a man is not allowed to represent himself un- 
1 ?ss he has been admitted to the bar. Who passed that law? Was 
it the lawyer or farmer? That is no ha^'d question to answer, f or T 
think a well raised, ten year old boy would readily say the law- 
yer. While I admit that the fool farmer has helped to tie his own 
hands and did not have sense enough to know it, he has almost in- 
variably voted for the lawyer, anrl, in many instances, in preference 
to a good farmer, because he did not have the polish about him and 
was not shrude enough to practice hj^ocracy and deceit; but he 
ought to have known at the same time that it Avas natural for a 
man to go for his own interest. Then, if he had have had that 
much thought and consideration about him, he certainly would 
have voted for the farmer, for both of their interests were the same. 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 5i) 

No difference if he Lad been a drunkard, L -vvoultl ha^e voted for 
liim; although a drunkard is an abhorrence to nie; })ut he being a 
farmer lie would have gone for his own interest, consequently, he 
would have gone for my interest, but owing to the farmers being 
l)linded up by the fashions, styles and polish of this world, the law- 
yers, doctors and politicians of this world have been mouuted on 
the high horse. leading and representing us, and at the same time 
claiming that they were the farmers friend and their interest were 
the farmers interest, which is a falsehood; for the lawyers interest 
is to mystify the law that the farmer cannot understand it. The 
laAvyers interest is to have multiplied volumes of law that the far- 
mer cannot comprehend. The lawyers interest is to enact such 
laws as will prohibit a man from representing himself that he may 
be forced to employ a law^yer to represent him. The lawyers and 
doctors interest is to enact such laws as will prevent the farmer 
from having any voice in saying whether the lawyers, prices are 
reasonable or too high. No one but another lawyer can have a say 
so in their prices and charges, and, likewise, in cas* of a doctor 
cliarging extorsive prices, no one allowed a voice but a doctor. 
So you see that the lawyer and doctor have got no halter on. They 
are to charge what they please and the farmer has no way to helj) 
liimself. So, if the farmer charges an extorsive price any citizen?* 
of the country allowed to pass upon it. Yet, the lawyer Avill 
s'.iy to the farmer that Ave are all under one common interest, an<l 
that your interest is my interest, and ray interest is your interest, 
especially when he is a candidate. But, yet, he is not willing for 
the farmer to pass upon his charges. So, yon see that all such un- 
equal and unfairness is of the devil, and all such people that 
enacted such laws are hell- ward bound, aud without a repentance 
)>efore God will linally land in hell, Avhere the ungodly and hypo- 
critical go. 

This thino; of lawyers has been goinsj on so Ions: until the most 
of the people think that it is necessary to have lawyers; and that we 
could not do A\'ithout them, and the lawyers are substantuated in 
the fact that it is right and just and that the people could no more 
do Avithout them than they could do without farmers. They un- 
derstand that they are an honorable and high-toned class of peo- 
j)le. They understand that they are educated better than the av- 
erage of people, and they understand that they dress better than 
the average of people, and they understand that they live better 
than the average of people, and they understand that they are richer 
than the average of people, and they understand they live the eas- 
iest ©f any people on earth, and never considering one time that 
their honorable and high-toned position, their education, their tine 
dress or apj^arel, their sumptuous living, their riches and their easy 
birth, fails to give a man a good principle; and, more than that, 
never considering one time the cause of their honorable, high toned, 
rich and easy position. Now, one moments reflection Avill certainly 
show to your mind that if the farmers and laboring men or people, 



no • HELPS TO TIIIXKTXG. ^■ 

liad tlie co]i?:ideratioH and foretliought .of a sliarp old fox that their 
liii^h and cdevated position woukl soon ho a])ased. Plenoe, many of 
thein would he forced to the plow handles, or steal, as they would 
have no fools to make their living out of. Xow,' as I have hefore 
s:iid, there are many lawyers that I like and would do them a fa^'or 
as quick as any man, hut I confess tliat I hate the prniciples upon 
which a lavryer is based, and, would to God, that the whole foun- 
dation of lawyers were obliterated aiid put to an end that we 
might liaye many more tillers of tfie ground, and many good honest 
farmers, hence, making a union of the lawyer and fanner. 

Now, if the farmers, or laboring men would consider that the 
power of ttiis CTOvernment was in their hands, and would nev^r 
ek^Ct anybody anymore to oitice but farmers, they could soon con- 
trol the whole world, or the United States at least. _ There is no 
us^e of so much mj^stitied law. There are no too men, or set of 
men, but what can make a contract that they can understand and 
that is sufficient. Ea'cu men tliat cannot read or write can make ;i 
contract that they understand and that is all they want or need. 
T]ie formality of a thing is nothing, just so it is understood. One 
small book ought to contain all the law of the whole Unite*! States 
and let CA'ery man represent liimself in all cases as he needs notli- 
ing but the law and the evidence before a magistrate. 

X"ow, I understand that it is imi)ossible for a lawyer who has <r<)t 
a fat place, or a big trai^i of custom, to see or Vmderstand that there 
is anything wrong in practicing law.. That is contrary to human 
nature. Xow, if a man was a lawyer that was not getting any cus- 
tom and was about to. starve out, tliere would be some chance to 
get that man to see the evil of it, while at the same time, it is no 
troidde to get the most ignorant farmer in the country to see aiid 
ailinit the evil in the ])rinciple of having lawyers, and that some 
men that admits the wrong and the evil, he will turn a. fool and 
vote for the lawyer the lirst time he runs for otKce and perhaps a 
good farmer in the held. Such men ought to have guardians ap- 
2)ointed for them, for they are not competent to transact their 
own business. 

Comparing the number of lawyers with the world there are but 
fe\^' in number, but to take the whole miss of lawyers together, 
my opinion is, that they would Tiot sa,crifice their high" and easy pc^ 
sition an.d place themselves in the plow handles and with the mail 
an<l,wedge, on- a level, or on an equalit\'', side by side, with 
the farmer or laboring man for the prosperity of the whole, united 
mass of laboring people who are tlie back bone of the whole worhl, 
and knowing at the same time without the success of the frrmer or 
tiller of the ground that the whole universe would sink into obliv- 
ion, or forgetfulness, which Avould include the lawyers with tlie 
])alance. If they could redeem the whole mass of us by becomhig 
hewers of Av^ood and carriers of water, I am persuaded t!iat a good- 
ly nund^er of them would be like the man that they were going to 
bury alive for being so lazy and on the way to the grave yard there 



HELPS TO THIXKLXc;. 01 

was a proposition made to give liim some corn. He asked it' it was 
shelled and they told him no, that he would liave to shell it. So, he 
told tliem to drive on to the graveyard. [ am well enough acquain- 
ted with liuman nature to know that it would be a great cross an<l 
sacrifice and a great denial for one fliat Jiad been raised up in tlic 
l:i[rot" ease, idleness, pompt and splendor, aiul their minds cultivated 
from their cradjes that they were superior to the poor laboring 
man or 2)eo[>le witli their rough apparel, to fall in line Avith thrst 
I'lass or sort of people, side by side. They would feel like they 
were ^ pea fowl by the side of a fresh picked goose, and more than 
that, it would be very painful to their httle soft and tender hands; 
and, also, it would be painful to their bleached and tender face to 
fi-oiit the broiling sun of the noonday summer; and, thirdly, It would 
])e painful to liis feeUngs to draw off his silken and purple clothes an«l 
uarb himself in the farmei's apparel. I imagine he would 
feel i-ather like a fresh picked goose looks, when at the same 
rime a common sensed ten je^iv old boy wdth fifteen minutes 
thought wouM be able to understand that we were all of the same 
Adamic liesh, and the same Adamic pride, and the same Adaniic 
bi-ain, and the same Adamic selfishness, and the same Adamic 
meanness; Hesh Avas tlesh, ])ride was pride, selfishness was selfish- 
ness, meanness was meainiess. spirit w^as spiiit, spirit lusteth aftei* 
s])irit, fiesh lusteth after flesh, pride lusteth after pride, selfishness 
lusteth after selfishness, nieanness lusteth after meanness, plainness 
lusteth after plainness, and all these things are according to their 
cultivation. K you cultivate pride you will be prouder, if you cnl- 
tiA'ate meanness you Avill be meaner, if you cultivate plainness you 
will be plainer, if you cultivate laziness you will be lazier and if you 
cultivate industry you w^ill be smarter. So, noAV my lawyer, you 
know all these are facts, then, I ask you wdiy you do not fall in line 
and practice that which you know is the best for the whole Adamic 
family, yourself included, provided you will shoitlder up your 
])art of the sinsfle tree. You know that industry and labor is in 
accordance with God, you know^ that plainness is in accordance with 
God, you know that idleness and laziness is contrary to God, you 
know that pride is contrary to God/' and is pleasing to the devil, 
and of the devil. Then, when" a man knows a thing to be the best 
and won't do it, and knows a thing to be wrong and will do, it, 
what is the remedy for him? There is no remedy, but he is doom- 
to eternal hell, for that is sinning against the Holy Ghost. For 
they know that Christ is from God for they saw Him wdth their 
own eyes do things that no natural man could do, yet they would 
not listen to Him. I will now close on this subject as I anticipate 
saving more about the lawA^er in my talk to the poor laboring man 
on the subject of who his friend is and the difference betAveen a 
policy friend and a friend on principle. Xow, I say, do your OAvn 
thinking but do not turn a deaf ear as the Pharisees did but think 
over it calmly, coolh'', seriously and solemnly. 



62 HELPS TO THIXKI^tg. 

MIS CELL A^^EOITS SCKIPTURES— WHO IS GOD? 



There are many incorrect and wild notions of many people on a 
number of passages and vyords of the scriptures, hence, leading 
multiplied thousands of people estray, and many intelligent people, 
as far as literature is concerned have formed very incorrect and in- 
consistent ideas from the tradition of those whom they have pinned 
their faith to, having never looked <at the matter with an eye single 
to the truth and common sense. If common sense is not exercised 
in all things, there is nothing certain or reliable in a decision on 
any fact. Xow, all people that have common sense understands, 
and believes that there is a God and we believe that he has inthiite 
j^ower, infinite wisdom, and is omnipotent, that He is just, good, 
and that He has been on the earth in the personage of a man, was 
Holy, good, just, and that He showed his miraculous power, in the 
ficsh, the same as we see or understand his miraculous power now, 
through his invisibility; but as to trying to tell what God is, it looks 
like nonsense as any common sensed person, ought to know as well 
as another. We all know He has many names, but He is under- 
standing, (and a ten year old child. knows wliat imderstanding is) 
for He understands all things throughout eternity. He is without 
beginning or eaiding and self existing, therefore, I will let that suf- 
fice as to what God is. If any of these theologians can beat that 
tliey are welcome to do it, whilst I am sure of one thing and that is 
they can mystify it and tell more about it than they know, and the 
mystification, of the scriptures has been a wonderful misfortune to 
the people at large of anything in this world. Many grand so-call- 
ed divine or theologian leaders are wee2:>iug in a j^awning' hell to- 
day for the mystification and misrepresentation of the plain word 
and truths of God, for they are plain and simijle.. 



WHO THE DEYIL IS— WHAT HEAVEN AND HELL IS. 



We will no^v talk something about who the devil is and where 
lie originated. He is not a self maker, but he is a self discoverer. 
There is more said about the devil and God than any two thhigs 
that ever existed and they are the two wisest beings that ever exis- 
ted. God is infinitly wise and the devil is very wise. He is the 
shrewdest being that ever has been created on the earth, for you 
will take notice^ that God was never created for he is witliout be- 
ginning or ending. All you readers well know that there has been 
thousands of opinions and imaginations, as to what kind of a being 
the devil was and how he looked, and so on, (which has been got- 



. HELPS TO THIXKTXG. (3;i 

ten up by the so-called fool preachers, who know notliing more 
about God and the devil, than what his own word teaclies, which 
every person can read for liiniself.) . i^ow, as to his personage, he 
is in the person of every human on the earth that has the knowl- ' 
edge of lust. That is what the devil is, hence, a half idiot knows 
what lust is, therefore, they know what the devil is. I propose 
to give any earnest thinker enougli scripture to prove that 
fact. Now, there are different kinds of lust; the lust of 
the eye, which is .beauty; there is lust of taste, which 
.sweet or pleasant; there is lust of the scent, which makes one anx- 
ious to taste or see; there is lust of the hearing, which makes one 
become anxious or feel harmonious, there is a lust of feeling, botli 
an inward and outward, which has led the world hell-wardly ever 
.since there was a world, except Christ and the Apostles with all 
the saints. 

I will now inform the reader that God made the devil, for in the 3rd 
chapter of Genesis and first verse you will iind that He said "that 
the serpent was the most subtile of all the beasts that he had crea- 
ted," and subtile means the most superfine or shrewdest, which was 
the lust, or anxiety, or desire, or pi'ide, or vanity, for He made the 
creature subject to vanity — Rom. 8 and 20, or in other words, he 
created lust in them, (that is Adam and Eve) but they did not 
Icnow of it, nor never would if they had obeyed God, and had not 
partook of the fruit or lust, that God commanded them not to par- 
take of. Hence, the devil or lust, would have been in a dormant 
bhape, or hidden fromtheknovrledge of himself, and could have ne^'- 
er done any harm no more than fire in steel. We all well 
know that there is fire in steel, and if we will keep the Irictio^i of 
bteel from flint, the fire Tvill remain in the steel, and cannot do any 
harm; but, by the friction of the two together, it will bring fortli 
fire which can soon be a mighty one, and would consume the com- 
bustible world, if it was not j^r evented or ■ controlled. Thei'e- 
fore, when lust or the devil is conceived, it brings forth sin, and 
t;in brings forth death — •James 1, 14 and 15, Paul told the Corin- 
thian's husbands and wives not to defraud one another, except it 
be bj consent for a time for fasting and prayer, and tlien come to- 
gether for fear satan or lust tempt them for their incontinency, 
(which is not having self control,) — 1 Cor. 7 and 5 and 2 Cor. 11 
and 3, and 1 John 3 and 8, and Christ said to the Pharisees: "That 
they were of the devil, their father and the lust of their father they 
will do, and their father was a liar from the beginning, and the 
father of a lie" — John 8 and 44, and again, John who wrote the 
epistle says "he that committeth sin is of the de^-il or lust, for the 
devil sineth from the beginning, and for this purpose the son of 
God Cometh that he might destroy the j works of the devil, 
lust or flesh" — 1 John 3 and 8, and, again, the serpent or the devil, 
or the lust, saith to the woman: "You shall not surely die, for God 
doth know in the day that thou eat or partake of the lust, that j^ou 
will be wise as God," knowing good from evil — Genesis 3 and 



64 HELPS TO THINKING. ' 

4, 5 and 15, and 1 Thes. ^] and 5, and Math. VI and 38, 3'J, 
and Lnke 10 and 17, is, and Paul says to tlie Hebrews: "That 
Clirist come in the tiesli that through death, lie niio-ht destroy him 
tliat liad the })Ower of death, tlnit is the devil,'' wliich is the fiesli 
and lust- — Ileb. 2 and 14, and James '2 and 19. 

It looks clear to my mind tliat I have pointed out enough scrip- 
tures, to pr(jYe to the mind of any I'ational man, or woman, that the 
various lust's, of tlie human, was the devil, and (lod says that death, 
is the last enemy, that shall he destvoycl — 1 Cor. 15 and 26, whicli 
is clear proof, that when the last human on earth is dead, that the 
last enemy is dead. You well know, that if the devil was aliv(% 
tiiat there would still be an enemy to God. 

We will now proceed, to enumerate a few of the devils: There 
is a stubborn devil, there is a contrary devil, there is a lazy devil, 
there is a deceitful devil, there is a cheating devil, there is a swin- 
dling devil, there is a drunkeii devil, thei-e is a disloyal devil, ther(5 
is a contentious devil, there is a mean devil, . there is a disobe'dient 
devil, there is a funny devil, there is a laughing devil, there is a 
sneaking devil, there is an underminding devil, there is a bold devil, 
there is a stealing devil, there is a robbing devil, there is a covet- 
ous devil, there is an adultrious devil, there is a h3qjocritical devil, 
and there is a kind of civil devil, and there is an incendiary devil, 
and there is a tighthig devil, and there are tlattering devils, an<] 
there are lovhig devils, and there are sweet devils, and there are 
scornful devils, and there are little devils, and there are big devils, 
and there are young devils, and there are old devils, and there are 
he-devils, and there are she-devils, and there are w^orking devils, 
and there are gambling devils; but the working devil is the worst 
of all devils. I feel like, now, tliat I have got the devil simplified 
so that a ten year old boy can understand him and would know 
him when he meets him in the I'oad, or when he meets her in the 
I'oad, as the case may be. 

I will say a little more about the devil's reasoning powers. He is 
the finest reasoner that there is on earth, for where there is no lust 
or desire for anything, there is no reasoning at all. Now, for in- 
stance, if you should find a man's pocket book with a few papers in 
it that would be of no value to you, of course you w^ould have no 
lust or desire to keep it; hence, you w^ould hunt or inquire for the 
ownier; but suppose there was one hundred thousand dollars in the 
pocket book when you fovmd it, perhaps, you would look at both 
ends of the road and the devil or the lust, or the desire, for that for- 
tune that was in your hands would begin to reason with you, as he 
did with Eve, and say well I did not steal the pocket book and 
some body else would have found it any way, and the owner would 
never have gotten it, and it will make me and all my family a life 
time pleasure, and happiness, and my whole posterity rich, and we 
will never have to turn our hands to hard labor any more, and I 
can educate my family, and- dress them, with the fashion, and keep 
ourselves in pomp and splendor, and upon the whole of the matter 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 65 

I will just keep the money and no doubt the man that lost it lias 
got plenty any way, and ;-eally if he has not, I think it would be 
about fare for him to live and work hard a part of his life as well 
as rae all my life and perhaps, he swindled and lied somebody out 
of it, and he ouglit not to have it, and God wanted him to loose it 
or he would not have lost it, and God w^anted me to find it or it 
would not liave been so, and b}^ this time you have become like 
old Eve, perfectly satished that it is right to keep it; consequentlv, 
the devil has deceived you. , Just so with many men that is seeking 
after the ofMces-of our country for their big salaries, their great 
lust, for the money makes them reason with all the power they 
have, and put on all the polish and splendor they are able to put 
on; hence, deceive us and get om- votes, consequently, we think it 
is all fair, just, and right. Xow, if this is not a description and his- 
torv of the devil, I do not know anj'-thing about the teachino- of the 
Bible. 

AV^e will talk a little, about heaven and hell. Heaven is never 
ending joy, and never ending love, but as to the locality there is 
nothing in that, just where love, peace and joy is, there you will 
find heaven; no difference if it was on a high mountain, no. differ- 
ence if it w^as in a deep hollow of the earth, no difference if it was 
in the middle of the ocean, no difference if it was in the serial re- 
gions, though heaven cannot be on this earth until it becomes a 
new earth, from the fact there was a curse put upon this earth for 
the Adamic sin, which we all have in our flesh. So, heaven is 
above this cursed earth, and will be until there is a new earth, 
which God has promised, and God never promises an}i;hing but 
what takes place, for He cannot he. Xow let us see w^hat kind of a 
place or what is hell. It is a pl^ce of agony and torture, no dif- 
ference where that takes place, if agony and torture, takes place 
in a palace, that is hell, and if agony and torture takes place in a 
land of liiilk and honey, that is hell, or if agony and torture takes 
place in the ocean and in the whale's helly, that is hell, and if agony 
and tortm-e takes place in the grave, that is hell. So, we see "that 
Soloman says: "That the spirit of man (which is the spirit of the 
saints) goeth upward to God that gave it, and the spirit of beast 
or wicked rulers, goeth downward to the earth, or the grave." So, 
Avhen a sinner, or unregenerated man dies, his spirit or understanding 
goeth to the grave with the body, which is hell, or any place of 
confinement is hell where there is no power to be delivered from 
that i^lace. 

Xow, Jonah knew he was in the bowels of some sea animal of 
which he knew that he could not deliver himself, therefore, it was 
a hell to him. Supposing that there is an audience of one hundred 
people at any locality or place, and there is ten of them that have 
obtained an understanding of some great goodness toward them, 
or that there was some great good or an inheritance awaiting them, 
undoubtly, that ten men would be in a state of extasy or joy; 
therefore, that would be a heaven for them, and ^ye will suppose 



6G HELPS TO TIIINKIKG. 

that there is another ten of them, that have received an under- 
standing of some great evil or misfortune awaiting them, undoubt- 
edly that ten men, would be in a state of agony or torture, conse- 
quently, that would be a hell to them. There is another ten of 
that same audience that have received an understanding of some 
slight good or a small inheritance awaiting them, the joy or extasy 
would not be in a high degree, but only according to the inheri- 
tance, or in other words, the inheritan-ce might be very great; but 
the ten men only a partial understanding of the great inheritance, 
^nd the joy could not be so great because of the indefinite under- 
standing, and there is another ten that only have a slight under- 
standing of the evil or great misfortune that is awaiting them, 
therefore, their agony or torture could not be very great, but ac- 
cording to the understanding. I^oav, that still leaves sixty more of 
this same audience and they have no understanding of good or evil 
awaiting them, therefore, they neither have joy nor torture, conse- 
quently, it Avould be neither heaven or hell for them. Now, you 
see that these one hundred people all at one place and at the same 
time, and ten of them which Ave hnd in a complete or perfect 
lieaven, and ten of the same audience in a complete or perfect hell, 
a\id ten of the same audience in a partial or slight heaven, and ten 
of tliem in a partial or slight hell, and sixty of them only in a quiet 
or neutrol state or condition as it were, neither in heaven or hell, 
but all at the same place and time. So, you see that it is not the 
Ijcalit};^ that makes hell or heaven, but it is the understanding, for 
that is all about a man that is immortal — the understanding cannot 
die, and that is all that can be about any human but what can and will 
die. Hence, you plainly see that the understanding is the soul of man, 
y/hich is undisputable and undeniable by any rational man that will 
' give the matter a considei*ate thought. 'The soul, the spirit and the 
understanding are all synonymous terms, hence, means the same 
thing, and is the same thing. As to hell being a literal pit to burn 
tlie wicked people, that is all a figurative matter, that we finite be- 
ings might understand the great torture of hell; but you know 
the soul is immortal, and at the resun-ection the body is to be res- 
urrected, innnortal like the soul. So, joii see that the literal fire 
could not l)ur]i immortality. To burn with literal fire you would 
have to have some material substance to burn. Fire in the 
Sjiiptures means power or is a figure of God as He is a consuming 
power, and the scriptures teach that it is the soul that suffers in 
hell, as I said, the soul is understanding. For instance, ' if you 
was legitimateh^ informed that you had to be hung on next Friday, 
you would certainly be in as great an agony and torture, as a man 
could be put in. Perhai^s, 3'ou could neither eat, drink or sleep; 
but let us consider what Avas the cause of the torture. Would it 
1 e the hano'ino- or the understandino; of the hanofins^ that was sfoino- 
to take place? You readily see at once that it would not be the 
hanging for the hanging had not taken place yet. Therefore, it is 
clear to the mind of any thinking person, that it was the under- 



- HELPS TO TIIINKI^^G. GT 

staiiflmg of the hanging — hence, it avouM only be the understand- 
ing, soul or spirit tliat would be suffering. Perhaps tlie tiesli of the 
body might be at perfect rest or ease and not a pain about it, and 
yet the understanding hi a perfect rage. You will remember that 
on the night of Christ's crucifixion, or rather the night bofoi-e His 
crucifixion, that Christ was in such agony, that he sweated great 
drops of blood, whilst I AA'ould readily say that His body did not 
have a paiii about it; but He well understood v/hat suffering His 
body had to undergo, therefore, you see that it was His understand- 
ing. XoAv, supposing that in by-gone days that you had under- 
stood that your father or brother was dead in a far country and 
to-day you received an understanding that they are alive and well, 
and will be at home in a few days, what would be the cause of your 
joy? Would it be a fact of your relative being alive, or, would it 
be tlie undei'standino- of the relative beins; aliA-e? You see at once 
that it would be the understanding of the fact, for the relative had 
been alive all the time, and so had Israel or the Jews been God's 
people all the time, but they never received the understanding of a 
saving Christ until Christ came and made Himself known as a 
."Saviour. Then salvation came unto them, (and salvation is deliv- 
erance) aiKl understanding of it, made joy. AYhen John, therev- 
clator, was banished to the Isle of Patemus, that would have been 
a perfect hell to him, but for one thing, and that was John under- 
stood his delivery, and he understood his Saviour, but if he had 
been like poor Jonah, not understanding of any delivery from that 
2)lace, it would have been a hell. If a man is imprisoned for life 
then he has a complete hell wherever his abode is; but if he is im- 
prisoned for two years, his anticipated delivery gives him a hope, 
and joy follows hope. When the unregenerated man dies and his 
soul is buried with him, he knows of no redeemer, hence, lie is in 
hell, without a redeemer, and any confinement without a redeemer 
or deliverer, is hell, no difference what the locality is. I think it 
'vvill be clear to any one's mind what makes hell and where hell is 
located. 

In describing hell and its location, I have said a good deal about 
the soul and what the soul was. I have ^Iso said a good deal about 
the soul in various places in my essay. I will say a little more 
about the soul being nothing more nor less than the understanding, 
-which I will give you the scriptures to read for yourselves, a;nd all 
my readers that doubt the understanding being the soul, I hope 
you will read all the passages of scriptures that I shall point out 
■V ery carefully, seriously and prayerfully, and where any of the pas- 
sages, reads the soul or spirit or understanding, just read the same 
passages, and use the word understanding instead of soul and see if 
it does not make good sense, and many cases better sense. In the 
old Testament or Bible, the word soul means the natural man, 
body or person, but in the new Testament it means or is the under- 
st li-Iing. I will first give the scriptures to prove that the soul 
means, in the old Testament, the natural person or man. You have 



(>^ HELPS TO THINKIXG. 

often heard the scripture quoted: "The soul that sineth shall die." 
You will not lind that scripture in the new Testament at any place, 
and you will only iind it in Ezekial 18 and 4, '20, and to prove that 
the soul in the old Testament in many instances, means the human 
hody — Ps. 16 and 10, where David rejoiced at the understanding 
that God would not leave his soul or his l)ody in hell or the grave, 
hut that Christ would resurrect it in the last day, and see Ps. 86 and 
14, and Levit. 23 and 30, and Ex. 31 and 14. Now, to 'prove that 
the soul, in the new Testament is the understanding see Pro. 30 and 
2. and 9 and 10, and 8 and 5, 9 and 28 and 5, and Job. 16 and 4, 
and Mark 12 and 33, and Ps. 19 and 7, and 49 and 20, and 119 and 
104, 144, 134, and 147 and 5, and Isiah 58 and 10, and 57 and 16, 
and Dan. 12 and 10, and Math. 13 and 19, and 1 Cor. 13 and 2, 
and Pom. 3 and 11, and Luke 24 and 45, and Acts 14 and 22, and 
15 and 24, and John 14 and 17, 20. l^ow, wdien the above scrip- 
tures are honesth' and well considered, does not convince you that 
the soul is the understanding, I am ready to say that it is no use 
for you to read the scriptures, unless they read to suit you, for if 
the plain teaching of Christ will not convince you of the truth you 
are nnconvincible, and are determined to believe joiw own way; 
but if these foregoing scriptures convince you that the understand- 
ing is the soul, then let us next examine the child and idiot and see 
whether or not they have any soul. 

It has been taught all our lives that the poor little innocent babe 
]ias a soul. The preachers of tliis day will teach and preach any- 
thing that is popular, and especially to a monied community. There 
is no common sense in SiJij such an idea, unless you admit that they 
receive an understanding after death; for you know that they die with- 
out an understanding, therefore, they will 'be resurrected without 
an understanding. While on this ei\rth they neither knew good 
nor evil, hence, they had no wicked soul, spirit or understanding, 
neither did they have any righteous soul, spirit or imderstanding, 
but have a promise of a resurrection same as the saints do, or the 
believer, then if the child dies without an understanding, it cer- 
tainly will be resurrected without an understanding, and if it dies 
an innocent babe, it will be resurrected an innocent babe, and, 
whilst I have told you m some of the preceding pages, that hell did 
not consist in a locality, but it consisted in an understanding. So, 
you see that Christ has promised to resurrect the whole Adamic 
family, young, old, great and small, and Avhen resurrected and 
made alive, they will have an ever living body, but have no knowl- 
edge of good and evil in this world; consequent!}", they w^ill be in 
the condition of Adam and Eve before then- fall. They w^ere in 
heaven with God, but did not realize the fact, for there could not 
be a good without a bad or evil, there could not be an up without 
a down, nor tliere could not be asmoothe without a rough; nor there 
could not be a fine w^ithout a course; nor there could not be a 
sweet without a bitter; nor there - could not be a joy without a 
trouble. So, you clearly see and . understand, that Adam and Eve 



HELPS TO TIIIXKING. 69 

could not realize joy, j^eace and comfort, until tliey were cast out 
from the presence of God ttieii* father, and thrown upon then* own 
resources; therefore, they were in a pure land or place, and with a 
pure father, and were good themselyes, if they had oheyed God 
their father, or maker; but by their disobedience, the devil was 
made kno'vj'n to himself, and everything became impure or im})er- 
fect, but God himself and his attributes; but the point I am trying 
to bring to bear upon your mind, m that Adam and Eve in their 
original condition and original place, were in heaven and did not 
know it, or could not realize it, and just so with the little angelic 
babes. They will be in heaven but will not realize any joy in it, 
from the fact they know no evil, nor know^ no trouble, or torture, 
from the fact it had no imderstandiug, spiiit or soul, but has re- 
ceived from Christ its ever livins; body. I hear one say, I do not 
believe that you make any difference with the child and the ani- 
mal, or brute creation. My dear reader, you are mistaken, for Christ 
never j)i'omised |he animal or brute creation any resurrection, 
therefore, the animal, or brute c^'eation having no soul or under- 
standing of good or evil, and having no resurrection, there is no 
more of them for they have gone mto nonentity. I heard one lady 
say that she v\'ould hardly want to live if she thought her child had 
no soul, when at the same time she did not know any more than a 
monkey what a soul was. Xow, my good woman and reader, you 
ought to be- satisfied if your child was in as good place and as good 
a condition as Adam and Eve was v\"hen God created them and jjiac- 
ed them in His own kingdom, and they would have remained in His 
kingdom in peace initil to-day if they had obeyed Him, enjoying 
the sweet union of God, their maker. It seems to me that I have 
said enough about the infant to satisfy any rational man, or reasonable 
human. Xow, Christ says: "He that believeth and is baptized 
shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." So, 
according to that scripture, and allowing a child to have a sou-, 
your babe would be lost. OhI but says one, Christ says: "Suffer 
little children to come unto me, for as such is the kingdom cf 
God." Old Peter, (though a natural man as he was, for that was 
before the day of pentecost) knew that the little children could not 
believe and rebuked the people for bringing the little childi^en to 
Chi'ist; but Christ saw where he could teach a very impressive les- 
son, said:' "Suffer little children to come unto me," and the lesson 
that he wanted to teach was this: "For except you become as 
these little childi-en, you cannot enter the kingdom of God." That 
is, they had no reliance on themselves, but wholly and soley de- 
pended on their parents, or who ever nursed and fed them. He 
was trjang to impress on the mind of the Jews, or Pharisees, that 
they had to lay down self reliance and look to EQm as they could 
not save themselves, and He taught by figiu*es and parables alto- 
gether. He saw he coidd teach a very imj^ressive lesson by the fig- 
ure of the innocent child. So, I think, I have said enough about 
the condition of the child to satisfy any reasonable person that is 



70 HELPS TO THINKI:N'G. 

clear of prejudice and will lay down tradition, and exercise corn- 
men sense. I will say that I have got two babes that have gone 
on ahead of myself maldng their habitation in eternity, and I am 
well satisfied as to their future condition, but not expecting them 
to realize facts as I will realize them — neither aiii I expecting to re- 
alize facts as old Paul realizes them, for he will have just as much 
greater a soul in eternity as his understanding was greater than 
mine in this world.. It is certainly so, unless my understanding is 
changed after I leave this world, and according to the teachings 
of God's word. I am not expecting any change after death, ex- 
cept of this vile body of mine. I am expecting it to come up im- 
moital to correspond with the immortal soul, spirit or understand- 
ing, that cannot die, and you know that understanding cannot die, 
for instance, while the body sleeps the understanding liveth until 
the body awakes, or comes to life again, and just as the under- 
standing was when the body went to sleep, or died, it will be when 
the body awakes or comes to life again-. Supposing the case, that 
you had one thousand dollars in your pocket bo©k when you lay 
dov,-n to sleep, or die, and that 3'ou placed it under your pillow; 
wlien you awoke or come to life, did you ever know your under- 
standing to change while asleep or dead? If it did, 3^ou might say 
you only had live hundred doUai's and that you put it undej 3-our 
feet, er left it. in your- pocket, or perhaps, you might say that you 
gave it to* the landlord, but you well know that the understanding 
does not change while the body is dead asleep. ' If you un- 
dej-stand that it was raining when you went to sleep, you will not 
understand when the body comes to life that it was clear and 
windy; or if you understand that Sam Jones was here last night 
when you lay down you will not understand when you come to life 
that it was John Smith. Any reasonable person can plainly see 
that the understanding is the soul; and you can "plainly see that the 
understanding'cannot change after death, hence, I think I have 
simplified it until a half fool could understand the substance of the 
soul, and also understand the condition of the infant, or thpse that 
do not know good from evil. I hope that every reader will read 
it unbiased, Avith a contrite heart, open to conviction and pray God's 
instruction in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of 
all of God's children. 



HELPS TO THIXKING. 
..... — , 

WHAT IS THE HOLY GHOST? 



Although I have spoken concerning wliat the Hol}^ Ghost was at 
different tirnes in my essay, I will give a few more brief thoughts 
"on that subject, and accomjjanied with some scriptures in the way of 
])roof as to wliat the Holy Ghost is. A ranjority of the people fully 
believe that tlie Holy Ghost and the spirit of God is the same thing, 
which is a sad mistake, and I hope to be able to show it to my 
readers. The spirit, as I have plainly shown you in the foregoing 
j.-ages, is undisputably the understanding, for Abrahajn liad undei-- 
standing, but had not the power of God. Also, we see that Christ 
ha'd understaiiding at tvrelve years old, but we don't see any of 
His power exhibited .until after His baptism was administered when 
tlie Hol}^ Ghost decended like a dove and sit upon Him, (that is in 
the bodily shape of a dove.) He then had the power of God and 
could do anything that He desired to do, and then ready to tackle 
the devil anyv^-here and an}?- way, and tlie devil never got the up- 
per hand of him no time; neither did the devil ever get the upper 
hand of any body after they received the Hoh^ Ghost, for the Holy 
Ghost is the power of God shown or made known in 'human flesh, 
or no difference what God's power is in, it is the Holy Gliost. W(^ 
see an instance of the Holy Ghost or God's power, in • a iish who 
swallowed Jonah. Therefore, vre see that the whale or -fish, per- 
formed a miracle that no man or iish or anything else could have 
done without the power of God. The whale had power within it- 
self to have killed and eat Jonah, but it had no power to keep Jo- 
nah alive within itself. The whale, also, received an understand- 
ing to take Jonah out on dry land, or vomit him out on the land, 
that Jonah might save himself, and go and do the work that God 
had required him to do in ISTineveh. Jonah had a soul or under- 
standing but he had no power of God, therefore, he had no Holy 
Ghost about him. If Jonah had have had the Holy Ghost, he 
could have made the whale carry him out to shore or he 
could have walked on the water. He had the spirit or understand- 
ing of God but lie had no power of God or Holy Ghost about him — 
John 7 and 38, 39, will explain the whole thing, or will show plain- 
ly that the spirit and the Holy Ghost are different. Now, all 
christian people admit that every person receives the spirit or un- 
derstanding at the time of the belief, or in other words, when be- 
lief comes that is the time that all parties receives the spirit of God." 
Xow, whilst that is admitted, we see that Paul met certain disciples 
in Asia and he asked them if they had received the Holy Ghost 
since they believed, and they told Paul that they had not so much 
as heard or understood whether .there be any Holy Ghost or not, 
and* he asked them unto what was they baptized, and they said un- 
to John's baptism — Acts 19 and 1, 2, and all christians believe that 
the Apostles had received the spirit, or love, or understanding of 
God before Christ was cruciiied, for they loved Him and followed 



72 HELPS TO THINKING, 

Him three years before He was crucified, and after He arose He 
appeared unto a part of the diciples and breathed the Holy Ghost 
on them which empowered them to forgive or remit sin or retain 
them in sin — John 20 and 22, 23, and Luke 24 and 49 to 53, and 
Acts 2 and 33, and 8 and 15, 16 and 5 and 32. Now, as all com- 
mon sensed people, that claim to be in the family of God, and any 
part of Bible readers, admit the Apostles to be believers and God's 
ciiildren, during the three years of their following Christ before 
His crucifixion. I will admit that to be a fact nndisputable now^ it 
you readers .wjill admit it to be a fact. All I ask you to do is to 
take the foregoing scriptures, that I have pointed out on this sub- 
ject and with open hearts, read and study the true principle that is 
taught, and you will readily confess that the spirit and Holy Ghost 
are iiot the same thing. The spirit is understanding, which crea-tes 
or makes love, and the Holy Ghost is love and power; in the one 
love comes first and the other love comes last. We know that 
common sense will teach any one that you could not love any- 
thing on earth or in heaven, without an understanding of something 
good, kind, great, pleasant, beautiful or some superiority in some 
way or some how; so understanding or belief comes before love. 
For instance, you could not love a person without understanding 
that there was beauty about them or something kind and benevo- 
liiit about them; hence, this matter is too plain to reason on. Now, 
on the Holy Ghost or power of God, you very well know that you 
would not give power to any one to do your w^ork unless you first 
loved them and understood that they loved you. Now, take your 
own children and if you vf anted your work clone you certainly 
Av'ould empower the one to do the work that you knew you loved 
the best, and the one that loved you the best. You Yery well 
know that you would not give an enemy your power for he would 
be certain to destroy you, or put an end to you. So, God always 
ioipowered them with the Holy Ghost that Lie loved, and them that 
loved Him. I hear some fool preachers and some fools that are not 
preachers, say that they have the power of the Holy Ghost, and at 
the same, time they have not the sense that they ought to have been 
born with. It only amounts to holding to a lie to justify them- 
selves in a wrong position, that kind of a wrong in a man only 
sends him deeper into hell; in place of acknowledging his faults and 
turning from them that God may be willing to save him from hell. 
• If God saves people for being fools concerning His written word. 
He will have a good big crowd in His kingdom; but I am not cer- 
tain they w^ould have sense enough to be good to one another and 
I know that they would think that they saved themselves, or rather 
had brought God under obligations to save them, which amounts to 
the same thing. I feel like I have said enough and give enough 
scripture to convince any one that reads a chapter a month in hi:^ 
Bible or Testament, so I will leave that for your consideration af- 
ter reading the scriptures that I have pointed out. 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 
OX REPEXTAXCE. 



There is so much said about repentance and when repentance 
takes place vrith a man. J3elief and repentance are so closely con- 
nected that it is hard for. a man to make an}^ distinction between 
them, but neither one ever takes place until after the regeneration 
of the soul or understanding. Hence, you see that a new soul 
\rould only amount to a new understanding, therefore, no one ever 
did believe in God until aften- they got a new understainding; nor no 

lie ever did repent, until after the understanding came. You nev- 
Lr, believed that a man could Avhip joii until you tried it and found 
that he was the best man, (that is, I mean a man of equal size) and 
lerhaps you would not believe that a man could cut you out of 
^.our sweetheart until he tried it and succeeded, and you could not 

elieve that some old sliaggy and ragged looking man,' could make 

n eloquent speech until lie showed you that he could do it. So, 
you see that understanding always has to come before belief . One 
place you will find that C4od's word says: "He that believeth and 
is baptized shall be saved" — Mark 16 and 16, and another place the 
r.ord's word says: "Kepent and be baptized every one ofyou"-Acts 2 

lid 38. Soji'epentance, belief, hope, charity, love and faith are all 
<}nonymous terms, and all meaning about the same thing, and they 
are all the gift of God, for God says that He gives repentance to 
Israel — Acts 5 and 31, and He says: "By grace through faith you 
u-e saved, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God" — 
Eph. 2 and 8. liepentance is turning away from a thing, and no 
one never did turn awa}^ from danger until he understood there 
was danger and no one ever did believe that there was danger un- 
til he had some understajiding that there was danger, and no one 
ever did have faith in an;y'thing until he had an understanding of 
the fact, and no one ever did love anything until he had an under- 
standing of some good or beauty about the thing; no one ever did 
hope for a thing that he never had any understanding of the thing. 
Thousands of people will say that thej^ hope for things that they 
knoM', vdll not nor cannot be, therefore, that was a false 
saying, for a man cannot hope for a thing he has no grounds for 
the hope. A man or person might say that they hope to live five 
hundred years, but that would be a false, for they clid not or could 
not hope for it, no man could hope for a good rain in five minutes 
v>'here there was not a spot of cloud in sight. Xeither could a per- 
son hope for one of his boys to be a girl, neither could he hope for 
a spring to boil up in his jard. Xow, he could desire for all these 
things for we are made up of desires, for we are always desiring 
things that we have no business with; but what I am trying to 
hvmg to bear on your minds is that repentance, belief, faith, hope, 
charity and love are all about one thing, and they are a gift, and 
cannot be reached only by the act of some one else. I can give 
you love for myself, by my acts toward you. I can give you faith 
in myself by my general acts in life to all people. I can give you 



74 HELPS TO THINKING. 

hope of obtaining a thing by acting and talking like I was going to 
let you have it. I can give you belief in myself of being a truthful 
man, or I can give you belief in myself by being a bad man, by killing 
a few men, and always being drunk and 'cursing, and cutting uj) 
gene;ralty. So I can give you repentance. Now, if we are good old 
neighbors and friends ancl are mixing and running together and I 
turn out to be a horse thief and g-arabler and murderer and a dan- 
gerous man you will repent from me, that is, you will turn away 
from me and walk with me no more, but joix could not have re- 
pented from me without a cause and my own acts Vv^ere the cause. 
Now, you could have been hired to forsake my company but that 
would have been policy repentance, and I am sorry to say that nine- 
tenths of the repentance this day and time is policy repentance, and 
some of the policy is to be honored, and some of the policy is 
money, and some of the policy is to evade the plow handles, hence, 
you see that there is but little of gentiine repentance of the Lord 
Jesus Christ. That is on a principle of the genuine love of Christ 
the Saviour, and before the love of the Lord Jesus Christ is ob- 
tained you will have to learn or understand that God is all power 
in heaven and on earth, and in connection with tliat you Avill have 
to learn that there is no power in you, and there is but one place 
or way to learn these facts, and that place or way is the written 
Avord of God, and ^^'hen these two foregoing facts are learned, un- 
derstood, or realized, then the sui'render of the person is made to 
God, which is unconditional — then God makes himself known to 
him a Saviour; then cometh love, which is after understanding the 
goodness of God, and at the same time you are able to see or un- 
derstand the evil of the devil, or the enemj'f then repentance takes 
place and never before. Take notice, this is the genuine repen- 
tance of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, who you have realized 
as a SaA'iour. Noav, these repentances that the people are talking 
about coming before the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, are all poli- 
cy repentances — some for propei'ty — some for money — some for 
l)eauty — some for honor — some for the purpose of carrying out 
some evil designs, and a great many for the purpose of getting 
their living without labor as God told them to do. Now, it seems 
t") me that there has been enough said on repentance to convince 
any body but a fool, what repentance is and when repentance 
comes. Everybody knows that a fool never wants to know any- 
thing, therefore, he- will never give a listening ear and reason on a 
thing; consequently, when a person gets past listening and i-eason- 
ing, tliey are past redemption, therefore, lost world without end. 
We see that God's word says that "Godly sorrow worketh repen- 
tance to salvation that need not be repented of" — 'i Cor. 7 and 10. 
Common sense will teach any sane man that he could not have 
Godlj^ sorrow and be of the devil, or you could not have devilsli 
sorrow and be of God. So, you see, that nobody but a child of 
God can have godly sorrow, therefore, as T have plainly shown you 
that no body but a child of God can repent. Strange as it may seem, 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 75 

though true as (4o(l is living, although, the American teaching lias 
impressed it on thousands of feeble minds who think they have hon- 
est hearts, but there is nothing pure or honest except what cometh 
from God. Those who received their teaching from men received it 
from a dishonest source, and when these facts are plain to be seen 
why is it that we still will be lead by men, and at the same time 
having the divine teaching of Christ before our eyes. God help 
every bod)' to get out of the mud and mystification, that we have 
been brougut up under, and place ourselves on the rock which is 
Christ's word, and no longer believe that repentance is a forerun- 
ner of the spirit or understanding of God, and no longer believe 
that you can make your heart act, or that you can teach the heart 
of a child. You can teach nothing but the brain and mind and it 
takes God to teach the innerman, or heart, and repentance never 
took place nor. never will take place until after the innerman or 
heart is taught. So, I will leave the subject of repentance for tlie 
consideration of my readers, hoping that they will iiDt believe a 
thing because I say it, but believe it because Christ ?fays it: "Let 
every man.be a liar but God be true." Amen. 

I thought I had closed on repentance, but remembering of lieai-- 
ing some so-called preachers say that repentance was sorrow, and 
I find that a great many people rather draw^ an idea that repen- 
tance is sorrow. I can saf eh^ say that a^iy man or woman that be- 
lieves repentance to be sorrow has been lead by tradition, never 
liavino' looked in the true sense of the matter and exercisino; p-ood 
common sense. No^\', I will call your attention '■'to one passage of 
the scripture tliat will give you perfect satisfaction that it is not 
sorrow^. You remember that Esau sold Jacob his birth right for 
one mess of pottage, (that is something to. eat,) and afterwards, he 
sought it back carefully in tears but saw no place for repentance — 
Heb. 12, 1(3 and 17. That is, there %vas no way to turn away 
from that trade for it was sealed or fixed in a way he could not get 
out of it, hence, he w^ept, mourned and cried in sorrow^ but could 
not get out of his contract w^ith Jacob. So, this confirms the mat- 
ter that it is not sorrow, but it is turning away. To learn more about 
the trade of Esau and Jacob, see Gen. 25 and 88. 



76 HELPS TO THINKING, 

WHEN THE LATTER DAYS ARE OR AYAS. 



As almost everybody believes that the latter clays tha,t is spoken 
of in the scriptures are yet to come, I desire to give the public a 
few thoughts and a few passages of scripture to read and think over. 
I admit that the most of my life was spent before I ever thought 
of anything else, but that the latter days were yet to come, and, 
now, the question arises why was it so, when I had the same Bible 
to read that I have now? I answer, it was because I listened at the 
hellish traditional teachers that claim to be sent or called hj God, 
and I had no better sense than to believe that they w^ere called' by 
(Tod, therefore, what they said was true, and I never took any 
tlionght of things as I ought to have done, and as everybody ought 
to do, and must do, if they desire to do the will of God. By some 
means or other, (I cannot tell) I was made to go to reading and 
thinking foi- myself as I had the word of God to read which is the 
only means through which any person on earth can learn anything 
of God, (that is His word accompanied with rationality or the pow- 
er of reasoning) and that nature which was given us in Adam, has 
the power of reasoning in it. Whilst there are various powers of 
i-easoning, some have very great powers and some very little, and 
some medium. As to the cause of these facts, I cannot tell. 
I see the same thing in all creation even in the seed of the 
earth. I see large, small and medium seed, even of the 
same kind of seed, and I see the same thing among every species of 
animals, that is giants, small and medium, but according to our abil- 
ity and reasoning poAver is all that requires of us, but the mass of 
us lazily, sluggishly and carelssely sleep over our duty; but I trust 
and pray in the future that we may be waked up to a sense of our 
duty and industry of our tliinking faculties and take the constitu- 
tion and principle of everything for our guide. This government 
lias a principle and constitution to go by. Every organiza- 
tion on the earth has g, principle and constitution to go by, 
and God has a principle and constitution to go by and His 
principle and constitution has no policy in it, but altogether 
on prii>t*iple, therefore, let me beg or beseech every reader 
of this book to no longer follow after policy going leaders 
but take the principle and constitution of everything for your lea- 
der, and you will be pleased of yourself and you will please all 
good people, and the greatest of all you will please" the God of 
high heaven; but do not understand me to say that you will please 
the majority of the people, for you certainly would be in the mi- 
nority. But I would rather please God than to please everybody on 
earth; then, if God is the one that I would rather please, it certain- 
ly is His constitution and way bill that I desire for the man of my 
counsel. Having been a close observer of His English written 
word for the last few years, I have discovered many erroneous ideas, 
that are jDrevalent or common in the country, and this idea of the 
latter days being yet to come, is one of them. The homestead or 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 



>clie(lule law was niacle by corrupt men, but claimed to be a friend to 
tlie poor laboring and op[)ressed man, but it is one of the granderit 
furses to them of anything on eartli, for it cuftivates idleness; it 
cultivates sluggishness; it cultivates indolence; it cultivates hard 
down laziness; and the worst of all, it cultivates low down rascality; 
for if this law had not been made they would liave had no prt>tec- 
tion for none of the above heinous practices. Therefore, when they 
inade a contract they would have been very careful how they nm-do 
it and when they made it they would have used all the energy, 
industry and shrewdness, they could possibly have done in order to 
meet the case. AVherever there is a will there is a way; con- 
sequently, you plainly see. that the schedule and homestead law 
\\ as a curse to them, and not only to them but a cm'se to industry 
and honesty, and like^^■ise the preachers are a curse to the cause 
and true understanding of God; for the mass of • people being 
brought up with the understanding that the so-called preachers 
know the true teaching of God, they fail to search for themselves 
and take preacher's words for their guide, when, if they had no 
preacher to rely on they would dilligently search the word and way 
i>i!l of Christ. Hence, tlie way bill of Clirist would hold us on the 
narrow track which leads to life everlasting. The people in the 
day of the law had no so-called preachers preachmg what the law 
meant and Avhat would be the consequences of the disobedience of 
the law, for they had the law to read and they knew what the law 
said, and they knew what the penalty of the law was, hence, they 
relied on themselves, to understand the law as it were written in 
their own tongue. Now, all men that claims Christianity admit that 
all scriptures were written by inspiration of God, the only ruler; 
and we have to admit that fact, because God's word says: "All 
scriptures were written by inspiration." Now, that being a fact, 
how could any man be a teacher of insph'ation unless he was an 
inspired manV You see at once that a half fool knows that a man 
could not teach inspiration unless he was an inspired man, and yet 
we have all been such fools that we would look to poor weak, sinful 
men for our teachers and guides,*until we would catch up with him 
in adultery, or swindling somebody, or running away from his 
country, and leaving a ^\dfe for some one else to support, and debts 
for some one else to pay, or never to be paid; but thanks be to God, 
such occurrences have been j^rofitable to some of us. It has caus- 
ed us to go to thinking and considering the corrupt platform of tradi- 
tion we have been standing on; and if we can go to thinking we are 
safe, for common sense wdll lead us right. So, now let us exercise 
a little common sense on when the latter days were, or is, but I 
Avill not give you the writer's word to consider on — I will give you 
God's word — Heb. 1 and 1, 2, and 2 Tim. 3 and 1, and 2 Peter 3 
and 3, and 1 John 2 and 18, and Jude 18. I hope you will read 
these passages carefully, particularly and honestly — Heb. 1 and 1, 
2, will emphatically teach that the latter days were in the days of 
Christ and the Apostles, as plain as twice 2 are 4. Xow, if these 



78 HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 

scriptures do not teacli that fact to you, it is no use for you to 
read the scripture* 



OX SCHIPTrEAL MEAXIXG OF WOKLD, 



Xo^v, we desire to talk a little about the word world in the scrip- 
ture. That word, certainly, in the most cases in the scripture 
means sin, and there was no world until Adam and Eve sinned, 
then their temporal bodies became sin,, and, also, a dwelling place for 
t]ie souls or understandings of Adam and Eve, to dwell in. Until 
they sinned there was nothing but Heaven, for the earth was good, 
and everything was good; consequently, all was Heaven, and' God, 
Adam and Eve all seemed to be together, until thej sinned, when 
He could no longer look uj^on them, and cast them out of the gar- 
den and put a curse upon the earth. Xow, Christ dAvelt in tbe 
])ody of liesh which, was the world, but He was not of the world, 
or sin; also, the Apostles dwelt in the world, but they were like 
Ghrist. They were iiot of the world, and when the man is regener- 
ated and borned again, that new soul or understanding becomes to 
be an indweller in the human or sinful body, which the scriptures 
teacli tliat it is sin, and is of sin until the flesli is made holy, or 
dead to sin, whicli all the Apostles were in that condition, and nev- 
er sinned while they lived, that is after the day they received the 
power of God, on the day of pentecost. However, some of them 
received the Holy Ghost or power of God from Christ the same 
day that He arose from the grave. For proof of this fact see John 
21/ and 10, 20, 21, 22, 28. You will see that when He breathed 
the Holy Ghost on them, that He said to them: "Whosoever sins 
you remit, they shall be remitted, and whosoever sins you retain, 
they shall be retained." I do. not know how many of the disciples 
were there, but I know that Thomas Avas not there, for proof of 
that see John 20 and 24, but after the day of pentecost they were 
all endowed witli power from on high, or with the Holy 
Ghost, and could forgive sin, or do anything that Christ could, 
while He ^'as on eai-th, for the j^ow'er that God gave Christ, He 
gave that same pov\'er to the Apostles, and it remained in the body 
of tlesh or world until the second coming of Christ, which we de- 
sire to reason and give some scriptures on the subject after we get 
through with the subject of the world. X'ow, let us notice that 
Christ told the Apostles that He woukl come at the end of the 
world. The Apostles seemed to want to know wliat should be the 
sign of His coming, or the end of the world. He told them that 
many should come in His name and deceive them, and there shall 
be wars and rumors of wars, but told tliem "not to be troubled f©r 
all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet, for na- 



HELPS TO THINKI:NG. 79 

tion shall rise against nation, and kingdom, against kingdom, and 
there tshall be famines, and pestilences, and earth quakes, in divers 
jdaces, all these ai-e the beginning of 8on•o^vs, and told them that 
they slioidd be delivered up to be killed; but them that endured 
unto the end should be saved, but said exce|)t those days be short* 
ened that no flesh should be saved but said for the elects saketl o^e 
days should be shortened, and He further told them or said to them 
this generation should not pass until all these things be fulfilled." 
Xow, if Christ's coming did not take place in the days of the x\j)ostles, 
I do not understand his address to the Apostles, and I have shown 
you scripture to ))rove that those days were the latter da^'s and I 
M'ill give you the scriptures to prove what the world is, and the end 
of the world. First read the 24 chapter of Matthew ver}^ carefully, 
with the following references: Kev. 1 and 3 and 8 and 4, 11, and 
22 and (5,- 7, 12, 20, and Phil. 4 and 5,. and Heb. 10 and 25, 87 
and see Kora. 10 and 18 where it reads that "their word went to the 
end of the world," take notice it was spoken in the past tense, and 
see 1 Cor. 10 and 11 and see Ps. 22 and 27. You will take notice 
that the Avorld wa.s the tabernacle or the fleshly body of the believ- 
ing family of God, or the faithful family of (Tod and the fleshly 
body or world \\'as fraimed or erected by faith, or rather by the 
word of God, through faith, for proof see Heb. 11 and 8. Xow 
once in the end of the world He appeared to put away sins, and 
for proof see Ileb. 9 and 2(3. So you clearly see that Christ and 
the Apostles were in the latter days and their end was the end of 
the world and the^^Apostles witnessed Christ's second coming and 
then all righteousness was fullfilled. AYe see Daniel speaks of this 
thing in his prophecy of punishing the transgression and make an 
end to sins and seal up the visions and prophecy see Dan. 9 and 
24. And you see that the angel told Daniel that he had come to 
make him understand what shall befall thy peoi)le in the latter 
<lays. You will see clearly that was at the end of the prophecy 
and visions Dan. 10 and 14. I trust you will bear it in mind that 
Christ and the Apostles were full and equal brothers, heirs and joint 
heirs together. And all the sons of God was equal with Christ . 
after Christ came into the world, for they were dead to sin; tliere- 
fore, they had no sin for you well know that anything that is dead 
cannot act. Therefore, their fiesh was the same as Christ's flesh 
for, He (Christ,) had all the infirmities that a natural man has with 
the exception of sin or lust or in other words, Avas dead to sin, 
therefore, they were a oneness — one body and one mind. You will 
see all that believed was to sell all the o^oods thev had, for it was 
impossible to serve mammon and God and for proof that they sold 
all they possed see Act. 2 and 44 45 and 4 and 84. The}^ were to 
2>ossess nothing of this world only their infirmities of the fiesh, fol' 
J;*aul said that the goods of this world was as dung to Him (that is 
nothing to Hifn,) see Phil. 8 and 8. And Paul said Christ was 
tempted in all points like as we are, yet .without sin, (for proof see 
Heb. 4 and 15). You remember in the 7th chapter of Kom. that 



80 HELPS TO THINKING. 

Paul said they were dead to sin, therefore they could not sm and 
in tlie 3 aud 9 of 1 John you will see that John said: "Whosoever 
was born of God could not sin," therefore you well know that they 
had no sin, or they could not liaye been dead to sin, and you well 
know tliat there are none of us il this day and time that is dead to. 
sin, for we are full of sin and lust after the things and goods of this 
Avorld, and every man is drawn off more or less after the lust of 
this world, hencej there is no use of counting us believer's, as the 
believers in the latter day, or days of the Apostles. Now, before 
the days of Christ and the Apostles, the people had divine written 
law to lead or govern thera and they knew nothing only to abide 
by what the law said, or if they failed to obey or comply with the 
law they did not expect anything else but to suffer the penalty of 
the law. Hence, they believed it was right to do so, and if the 
j)enalty was to take life they thought it light and cheerfully consent- 
ed to the execution of tine law; but when Christ came, which was 
the end of the law, or in other words, the end of sin for the law 
was sin, for that was the only way they could know of sin. It was 
sin that killed Adam and Eve, which brought death upon us all. 
Now, it was not lust that killed Adam and Eve but it vras lust 
that caused disobedience, or in other words, it was the devil, that 
caused disobedience. Therefore, you see that disobedience is sin, 
and killed. Now, if there had been no law, there could not have 
been any disobedience, hence, the people never would have known 
of sin. Then it is ver}?- plain that the law was sin. Then you see 
that Christ fulfilled sin or fuliilled the law, and was the end of sin, 
or Avas the end of the law. Now, the Jews believed in the law 
very strong; they also had the inspired prophecy which told them 
of the coming Messiah or the Saviour, and when the Saviour came 
they did not or would not believe in Him, whilst they always be- 
lieved in the law and He was the law, or the end of the law, of 
those that believed in Him, and He said to them, "if I had not come 
you would had no sin, but now you have no cloak for your sin" 
"and if I had not done things that no man ever did, you would not 
had sin," for proof — John 15 and 22, 23, 24, Now, all I ask the 
readers to do is to read and go to honest thinking. My whole 
desire and intention of writing this little book, was to get people 
to go to thinking, for that is the title that I have given this 
little work. That is a heljj or admonition to thinking. One more 
thought about the Mosaic law. If it had pleased God to have 
insjjh-ed men enough to have taught the people the law and prophecy 
by word or mouth, He never would have inspired writers to have 
written the word; but you see it did not please God to teach it by 
mouth; hence. He had it written in their own language that they 
might all understand when they did right and when they did wrong, 
that they might understand what the penalty was; therefore, they 
did not have to take no man's word for it. Now, as, to the inspired 
prophecy, no one understood that except the insj^ired peoj^le, 
neither could any man on earth to-day understand anything about 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 81 

})rophecy, excejjt by the Testament teaching of its fulfilments; 
therefore, we can look back to the prophecy and then take the 
Testament and unra\el a great deal of it, for we can see all along 
where the prophecy had reference to the Messiah or Christ that 
made the fulfilment. Xow, as Christ or God sa<v that the old 
covenant or law was waxing old and was 'defective, lie saw proi)er 
to write a new law or word which should never grow old, nor ne\'er 
pass away. And He saw proper to write it in a language that 
everyljody might or could un lerstand it, and read for themselves, 
for it is written as plain as the old law and it was written so plain 
that away-faring man, though a fool, co-uldnot err therein. Conse- 
quently, the hellish designing preachers, that have lay up in the 
school-rooms and in the shades of the old sturdy oaks studying 
how to mistify the plain language of Christ in order to make the 
poor laboring man look to them for counsel and interpret the 
scriptures for them that they may live off of the labor of that fool 
class of people, v.'hcn, at the same time, if they would stop and go 
to thinking with the brains of a monkey they could see that the 
])reachers ^N'ere a worse destruction to the scripture walking people 
than the sap-suckers are to a thrifty orchard, and they remind me 
more of sap-suckers in orchards, than anything I ever thought of. 
They will go into a good thrifty community with a strong church 
and go to sucking, and they will suck and peck, and suck and jjeck, 
until it is sucked and pecked to death, and away they go to another 
community hunting for another thrifty church and community, 
hence, sucknig the vital blood of the whole country, and living 0:1 
the fat of the lamb. I am of the opinion that the best thing the 
church-going people could do, would be to spend some of the 
money that they are giving to the preachers, for powder and bird 
shot, and shoot at every sap-sucker they can find and go to doing 
their own reading and praying, and it will be like feitilizing tkeir 
orchard. Their church-going body will get thrifty and strong and 
would soon get rid of the sap-suckers and spasmodic and policy 
christians. So the body would be a people of a pure design. The 
church government and political government is precisely in the 
same condition. There never can be a remedy in either one, until 
the sap-suckers are killed out, for the exhaustion from the suction 
is so great that all the recruits, and fertilization that can be procured 
will not, nor cannot keep up prosperity. The first thing in both 
governments is to knock down the salaries until the sap-suckers 
will get poor, and continue knocking them down until they would 
perish out. Perhaps, that would beat shooting them with your 
bird shot, as you might cripple some of them and we would still 
have them to work for and maintain. Xow, my readers, in solemni- 
ty, I ask you to think about it. I repeat again to think about it, 
and after serious thinking, I am persuaded that there are not many 
sane people that would want a poor, corrupt, rotten vam, and lustly 
man to blaze their way to heaven instead of the pure divine word 
from under the hand of divinity. Think about the man in the 



82 HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 

pulpit standing so bold and preaching for the money and not care- 
ing for your soul. Then think about it, and read for your own 
soul or understandino". 



WASHING FEET. 



Xo""vS', a little about foot- washing; but I do not desire to say much 
about it, for eyer^^ common sensed man ought, to know that there 
are no such requirements among us or since the days of the Apos- 
tles, for we see no evidence where they ever extended it even 
among the Saints. Xow, the idea of the addresses that were made 
to the Apostles of being addressed to us, is all a piece of tom fool- 
ery, for He commanded them to pray for their enemies and He 
commanded them to pray without ceasing, and He told them that 
they might ask Avhatsoever they would and it should be done unto 
them, and you well know that we miHit ask our lifetime for a 
thing and ^ve would never get it, and you well knoAV that we can 
njt pray for our enemies for prayer is love and prayer is a sincere 
desire of the heart, and furthermore' there is not a Saint on the 
earth to-day nor never has been since the days of the Apostles. 
So, if you was to wash some ones feet you would fall very short of 
washing a Saints feet, as there, perhaps, has not been one on the 
earth in 1800 years. Xow, I have heard this foot- washing debated 
on, by what was called able men in the associations and a great 
deal said, and nothing to the point. This is enough to notice that 
they never did extend it to any church at all, and then why Avould 
a man contend for us poor vain and proud and lustly hearted 
people to wash feet and call us Saints. If a man will show me a 
Saint on the earth to-day, I will agree to show you hair 
ill the palm of his hand. In a word the whole business of this foot- 
washing in our day is a mockery, or for the want of common sense 
exercised. Christ always taught the pharisees or Jews that any- 
t'ling that was necessary to do, or ought to be done, to do it Sun- 
diy or Monday and that which was not necessary, not to do it at all, 
and if a person does aiiything without a desire, it is mockery. 



OX THE LOPjrS SUPPEK. 

As I have been writing a short article on the subject of foot- wash - 
i:i^-, I tlesire to write a short one on the subject of what is called 
communion at the Lord's table. Whilst the foot-washing has been 



HELPS TO THINKING. 8:] 

a subject of discussion among the noble and grand leaders of tlie 
I'hurch people for many years, though the most noble, and vain, 
[)roud, and highest toned people, almost universally oppose it, but 
not so much on a principle. In their estimation it is to some extent 
a little degradhig or dislionorable, whilst I am sorry to think that 
there is a people tliai is not willing to stoop as low as our Gr;ind 
JVIaster and Saviour Jesus Christ, at the same time there are plenty 
of such people on this earth and drinking the water He prepare<l 
for us, Xow, on the preceding page you see that I oppose foot- 
washing, but it is on the princi})le of its not being taught in Christ's 
sacred word, for if I knoAv my heart I would willingly get down on 
my kiiees and wash a pauper's feet if I understood any requu-ement 
so to do. The subject of the sacrament has never, been a matter 
of discussion, but the great, and small, j^oor, and rich, have univer- 
sally fallen into the truth and validity of partaking of the Lord's 
supper; but have ever been growling and grumbling about who are 
eligible to the supper, and at the same time, not a single man or 
woman on the earth is eligible to the supper, nor never have been, 
since the days of the .\postles and Saints. AYhile I have frequent- 
ly, in my life, partook of it, but not discerning the Lord's body as 
those perfect vSaints did in the days of the Apostles, but I, like the; 
niultiplied millions, suffered the blind leaders, Avho claims to come 
in the name of Christ, to draw me off after their footsteps and 
teaching, never thii^I^ing one time that I had a letter from under 
the hand of Christ's divinity, which would lead me and the multiplied 
millions on by the still waters of etei*nity, but following on after, 
the tradition of my blind leaders and surrounding county, which is 
painful to my soul, when I take a retrospective view of my foot- 
steps m j^ast life, that was directed by the tradition of the leaders 
in my mother country, my heart is made to bleed, whilst I believe 
that my blood is upon the hands of the vain and hypocritical lea- 
ders of mj^ countr}', at the same time I only liked the waking up of 
one nerve and that Ava^ the thinking nerve. So, my fellow readers, 
I trust you will all go to thinking, reading and searching and making- 
God's divine word your leader, in place • of the hell designing, 
}»roud, grand, educated and fictitious theologians of the fast day 
and time, who are living in ease and on the fat of us jjoor laboring 
fools who have never waked up their thinking nerve. Doubtless, 
you have discovered that I take the position against the proud 
world that there is not a syllable in the Xew Testament advocating 
or teaching the people of this present day to partake of the Lord's 
aupper that He admhiistered to His Apostles the night of His cru- 
ciiixion, or rather the night before He Avas crucilied in the morning. 
NoAA^, "He that eateth and drinketh unAvorthih' not discerninsj the 
Lord's body eateth and drinketh damnation to their own soul." 
Kead the latter part of the 11th Chapt. of the 1st Cor. from the 
*20th verse to the end of the chapter, you, perhaps, Avill dis- 
cover that some of the Corinthians eat the bread and drank the 
Avine gluttonousl}'-, not discerning the Lord's body, and none of 



S4 HELPS TO THINKING. 

j»-..- — - - _ , 

tliem could discern the Lord's bod}'-, but the saints who had been 
endowed with power from on high. None of the rest of them 
(.'ould discern spiritual things. The sacrament was only for those 
til at were perfect in love discerning alt spiritual things, who were 
those that were made supei-natural, by some power from God of 
some kind of gifts — some of one thing and some of another. Now, 
notice 1 Cor. 2 and 14, 15, 16 and. 3 and 1, 2, 3^ 4, and you will 
>:ee tliat Paul very plainly tells you "that no natm-al man can dis- 
cern spiritual things." it is very clear to the mind that a portion 
of the church was perfect and understood spiritual things while 
there was another portion that were natural men like we are as babes- 
in Christ, and nothing but the power of Paul or some other Holy 
( rliost man which originated from God to Christ and from Christ t(^ 
the Apostles could make them able to eat strong meat, and none 
could eat the strong meat but the saints, and the saints were the 
Apostles, Bishops and Elders, who the Holy Ghost or power • of 
(Tod made them overseers over the Hock — Acts 20 and 28. The 
i)i'eachers have taught the people that what they call a regenera- 
ted man is not a natural man, but a spiritual man, and can discern 
spiritual things. Grander fools never were on the earth. Whilst I 
admit that I never knew any better until I quit my tradition and 
took God's naked truth for the man of my counsel. No man can, 
nor- never did know or discern anything of a Godly nature or in 
other words, a spiritual thing, except he was a supernatural man, 
and I emphatically say that there is not a supernatural man on the 
earth to-day, and no man can discern the body of Christ unless he 
was a supernatural man. Now, you see, who is elligible to the 
Lord's supper. 

I have been giving you some of the writer's talk I will now give 
you some of God's talk, which I hope you will examine very close- 
ly and search out all that is in it with an honest and prayerful heart, 
not considering whether or not, it gives j^our whole life time to the 
devil, and if your honest thinking, reading and praying shows you 
tliat your work thus far, has been for the devil, ask God to help 
you to give the balance of your time to him, and if you ask God 
for counsel, be sure and take His counsel, in place of great men's 
counsel, and tlie first thing for us to do, is to tear . from our hearts 
the doctrines of men, that we may have Clean hearts for God to 
write on, as He said He would write Plis law in the hearts 
of men or His people and they should be to Him a peo])le and He 
would be to them a God; but it is a mistaken idea if a man thinks 
that God will mix His writing with great men's writing, for He said 
that His foolishness was wdser than great men. Now, read as fol- 
lows: Heb. 5 and 14 and 1 Pet. 2 and 2 and Eph. 4 and 13, 14 
and 1 Cor. 13 and 11 and 14 and 20 and 2 and 6 and Phil. 3 and 
15 and John 15 and 15 and 16 and 25 and Math. 16 and 23. The 
last reference which is Math. 16 and 23. I want to call your spe- 
cial attention to (as all Christian people admit) that the three years 
of the Apostles following Christ that they were believers, or in oth- 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 85 

<'!• words, tliey were christians, and that being admitted let.iis no- 
tice and see if old Peter was not a natural man, when He told 
t'lirist that these things should not come upon him. Xotice wliat 
Christ said to him: "Get you behind me satan, thou art an offence unto 
me, for thou savourist not the things that be of God, but those that be 
of men." It is clear to the mind that Peter had no understanding of 
spiritual things, although He loved God and beheved he would die 
by Him, but still He was nothing but a natural man like us; but 
take notice, this was before the day of pentecost, when He was en- 
dowed with power from on high. After he had received the Holy 
Ghost he could discearn all spiritual things, and savourist or relish- 
ed the things of God, and not of men; but we are like old Peter 
was before he received the Holy Ghost: We think we love God 
but we love ourselves better. We relish the things of men, for we 
still have our nature and we will ever love nature as long as we 
have nature and that will be as long as there is a living man on the 
earth, or as long as a drop of blood runs our veins. Xow, read 
your sciiptures with an honest heart and cleared of tradition, with 
serious prayer to God, and after all this is done if you think that 
you can discern spiritual things and discern the body of Christ 
tlien go on with your sacrament, but ask yourself what you under- 
stand about the body of Christ any more than any other man that 
can read as good as you, and what other way do you understand 
al)out the broken body of Christ than what you always understood? 
There is scarcely a sane man in the State of Georgia that can 
read properly, but what ^vould say that he believed that Christ Avas 
crucified for our sins, and that He rose again on the third day and 
went to the right hand of God the father, and what makes him be- 
lieve it? It is simply because the Testament teaches it, or plainly 
says so. Then ask yourself what makes you believe it? Is it 
not because the Testament says so or is it because some great man 
says so? Or is it because God has visited you in the grove or clos- 
et? There is no one that believes that God lies, but on the contra- 
ry every common sensed thinking man, knows that God is truth 
and that He cannot lie, simply because God says He cannot lie, and 
we all believe God's word, except some reckless being that has le- 
gions of devils that knocks and tears down as he goes. We all be- 
lieve that God can save us, and will save us if we will go His way 
and ride in His vehicle, and wait for His good time; but His man- 
ner of traveling has not got style enough, no fashions about it, 
neither is there enough of beauty about it — no luxuries on the 
boat or vehicle. There is not enough fun on His vessel. I cannot 
have my way as I wish to, and his passengers are too poor, plain 
and common — that kind of company does not suit me — consequent- 
ly, I will trust myself a little while longer any way, for my asso- 
ciates are a better, or higher-toned class of people, and I can enjoy 
myself better, and participate in all the luxuries . and fun of this 
world, and on he goes, and never has he doubted the veracity, 
truth and certainty of God or His word the first time in his life but 



86 ■ HELPS TO THIXKING. 

believes in God as much as anybody and has the utmost confidence in 
God, ahd never doubting God nor Ilis word any more than he 
doubts that he was livings. 

I hear one say, wliat is the matter with a person that 
does not doubt the existence of a God, nor doubts His word, and be- 
lieves in the ability and power of (tocI? Nothing in the woi'ld sir, 
but the confidence he has in himself and his passport, he has got to 
find out, see or understand, that Plis conveyance will not ride tlie 
waves throughout eternity. He* then surrenders his ability, 
his passport, his vessel, and launches on the one that he has 
ever understood to be a safe and certain passport. Well, says one, 
why did he not take it at the outset, if he never doubted it? Be- 
cause the old ship of Zion was not grand enough for him — there 
was not enough beauty about the old vessel; it was too plain; thei"e was 
not enough luxuries — -the seats were not as downy pillows — the 
Captain was too strict in his government — the Captain did not al- 
low hhn the privileges that he desired. Hence, he proposed to 
take the finest and grandest looking vessel, and knowing at the 
same time that the old plain boat or vessel, w^as the safe one- 
Therefore, he let his proud and fantastic heart lead him c'ontrary to 
his better understandings. There never has been but two wsljs and 
two powers on this earth, and they are these: A right way and a 
Avrong way, and the power of God and the power of the devil, 
■^'4'hich is pride or lust, and but for pride and lust these people would 
have taken the old shij) of Zion at the first, knowing that it was an 
iron clad vessel. 

The power of God is not new to any one on earth that is rational 
and understands the English language, or any other language that 
conveys the supremacy of God to the mind or rationality; but we, 
or the devil, are hard to convince of our ^veakness, or nothingness. 
The p,eople in ancient times believed that they had power witbiii 
theinselves to go up to heaven, and undertook to build a tower to 
walk up to heaven, but God convinced them that they could not do 
it. Whilst they never doubted God's power, but they relied on 
their own power. Tliey imagined that they w^ould have a nice 
thiiig of it when they got their conveyance to heaven completed. 
The}' thougiit tliey conld occupy botli heaven and earth just as they 
saw p]-oper, and would be independent to God, and yet occupy His 
kingdom. The devel is one of the most independent beings that 
e\er was on earth until he sees or understands that he is overpow- 
ered, and he well understands and always did, that he was not able 
to withstand God; therefore, never wanted to meet right up with 
God face to face; but sought his own way and where he least ex- 
pected God. Christ said: "He that believeth- and was baptized 
should be saved," and we see that the devils believed but did not 
receive baptism. Well, what did devils do after believing? They 
trembled^James 2 and 19. Why? l^ecause they could not re- 
ceive the baptism of God. Why?' Because God would not im- 
port it to them. AVhat kin<l of baptism w^as this? It was the bap- 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 



tism of the Holy Gbostor the po^ver of God, and God never J)aptiz- 
ed anybody with ITis power that trusted in any other power but 
His. You will notice that old Peter before he was ba])tized with 
the Holy Ghost, he loved God supremely to any one else, but lu- 
shows that he trusted in his own power, and told Christ that he 
should not be killed, etc. — Math. 16 and 22, '^3, as much as to say 
I am here, but Christ told him that he relished or savourist the 
things of men, and on the night of the arrest of Christ you see he 
stilHrusted in himself and cut off one of the high priest's servants 
ears; but,, bear it in mind that old Peter Avas like we are to-day, 
a lover of God but a natural man. Hence, he could not discern or 
understand the things of God, and at the same time, he had b^en 
under the teachings of Christ for 3 years, and he had told him or 
them all together, divers of times that he would be scourged 
and put to death, and that he would rise again the third day, etc., 
but they could not understand it, nor never was able to understand 
it whilst. Christ lived in the tiesh. 

My opinion is that Christ took a great deal of pains in talking 
and teaching the disciples while they were with Him; but it was 
like you and I traveling in the dark, but you are acquainted with 
the country and things of the country, and you will tell me as we 
travel along right here stands a big tree, and I had never seen a 
tree nor heard of one. You see at once that I understand nothing 
. from what you have told me, and right on the other side is a big 
tield with a fine growing crop of corn, and I never had seen a field 
vi corn, and just a little further on is a creek ^ith a mill on it, and 
I had never seen or heard of a creek or mill, and just bejon the 
creek there is a town, and I had never seen a town nor heard of 
one, and you took a great deal of pains in describing all these 
things in this country, yet I would not have understood anything 
about it, and you leave me in- that condition, I never would under- 
stand or know anything about it; but you were to send me back the 
power to understand all things, I could then look back to that country 
that you had told or desci'ibed to me, and imderstand what a big tree 
was, and understand what a big field of corn was, and I could 
understand what a creek and mill was, and I could understand 
what a town was, hence, I could look back and picture out the 
whole country, as it were discerning the Lord's body, and if I had 
eat and drank before I had received the power to have discerned 
that country or the Lord's body, I would have eaten and drank 
damnation to my own understanding, or soul. Xow, by a close 
examination of the scriptures that I have pointed out in the last 8(» 
or -10 pages you wdll find that all the believing family of God was 
the Saints or those that had some power or gift of God bestowed 
upon them who were overseers over the flock of lovers of God or 
Christ. And in those days the flock of babe's in Christ, or lovers 
of Christ who were destitute of any power of God and being natural 
.men (as we are,) had no other source to look to only the saints who 
watched over the church or lovers of God, and ministei'ed to them 



SH HELPS TO THINKING. 

and strengthened them, by performing their gifts which were some 
of one thing and some of another, thus going on in this -manner 
throughout the latter days, which were the days of the Apostles, 
and when the latter days ended, the Apostles had the gospel, or 
Testament completed, according to God's will, which now stands 
in lieu of the saints in* the latter days. The Testament is now our 
ovei'seer, guide or leader, or in other words, our constitution and 
we know nothing only what it teaches, and it teaches to all alike, 
and always one way. Now, while everybody admits that we have 
one Lord, and tliat is the invisible God, and that wd have one word 
or constitution, and that is the New Testament, and that we have 
l)ut; one faith, and that is the faith of the Gospel which is the New 
Testament. Now, vou can see at once if we would o-et off board 
of all the great, noble and fantastic vessels that are made by the 
vain, proud, haughty and hypocritical men, and get on board of the 
old iron clad ship of Zion (which is the gospel and way bill of 
Christ) it would bear us over the waves of the bolsters deep into 
the land of Cainan, where no evil dare to come. Now, I desire to 
ask you theologians and doctors of divinity, w^hen and where did 
you get your knowledge of theology or divinity? How long 
was you learning your theology? Who was your school master 
and what sort of language did he teach in? Now, I can tell you 
where some of our ancestors were when they received their power of 
tlieology or God. Christ in the flesh received His power or the Holy 
Ghost in the river of Jordon. When John baptized in the river the 
Holy Ghost came in the bodily shape of a dove. He then went 
put and commenced his miracle and preaching, and God was his 
teacher and used the Hebrew or Greek language and only give one 
lesson and I can tell you where the Apostles were when they learn- 
ed theology. They were in Jerusalem, and were taught in all the 
languages and were taught in one lesson. Then they understood 
all that Christ had told them while they were natural men, and 
could not discern the things spoken to them until they became su- 
pernatural. If you divine or theologians will convince me that in 
grand language and in high schools, I can learn the things of God 
theology or divinity, I certainly will start to school although ad- 
vanced in age and declining very fast, and if you will go to raising 
the dead, and giving the blind sight you can soon make me believe 
that tiiere is theology in those high schools, whilst my present 
opinion is that theology is as far from those schools as the east is 
from the west — for the devil is the school teacher and has the 
devil's children for his students — for if pride is not the father and 
mother of those schools, and pride is not vanity and vanity is not of 
the devil, God's divine word teaches me v/rong, whilst I confess 
that I know nothing of God and his attributes only what His word 
teaches me, for I cannot discern or understand any more about Him, 
than He tells me of Himself by His word. Now, if there are any 
that are of ripe age, or perfect, discerning the Lord's body, or spir- 
itual things, it surely is a theologian, who have annexed to their names 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. * 80 

D. D., and if that class can barely discern the Lord's body, or si)ir- 
itual things then where is the poor unlearned man? What can he 
discern about the Lord's body? WJiat can he do commemorating 
the Lo]-d's body by eating and drinking? He can eat and drhik 
(himnation to his own soul, or understanding. Then if he under- 
stands and believes that the Lord's body was sacrificed and put to 
death for our sins, where is any common sensed man that does not 
understand and believe the same? For His word teaches it plain 
for anybody to understand; and there is nobody that believes that 
(Tod is a liar, but believes He is truth and teaches nothing but the 
ti'uth in His divine word. Where is the man or woman that does 
not believe there is only one God? Where is the man or woman 
hut Avhat believes that our common Bible of the United States is 
the divine word of God? Where is the man or woman that does 
not believe the divine word? AYhere is the man or woman that does 
not believe that Christ died for sin and Avould resurrect the whole 
Adamic family? Whei-e is the man or woman that does not be- 
lieve in a heaven and a hell? And how does one man or woman 
know any more about heaven and hell than another except thos3 
that have gone there? AVhat does any man or woman know about 
heaven and hell, except what God's divine woi^l says or tells them? 
,\nd does it not teach every man and woman alike that reads it? 
And how is it you may know that you have passed from death un- 
to life? St. James says in the S and 14: "Because Ave love the 
brethren." How do we know that we we love a brother when at 
the same time do not know when we have met a brother? And 
where is the brother that we can lay down our lives for, as the o 
and 16 of James says? Kow, Christ said: "The brethren were 
the ones that done the will of God." Then, how can we know the 
will of God? We know nothing about the will of God except 
what He has told us in His written word. Then does not every 
1 eider of His word understand God's will? Then, does. anybody on 
earth to-day do the will of God? That is a very easy question to 
answer, Xo, not one. Then is anybody eligible to the Lord's 
supper that does not do the will of God? Then, you plainly see 
that nobody but the saints were eligible to the Lord's supper. 
Then, have we who have been participating in the Lord's supper 
been eating and drinking damnation to our own souls? God for- 
give, for we know not what we were doing. ISTow, if these deceiv- 
ed and hy230critical so-called mouth pieces of God had not got us 
taught and confused we would have understood our duty by tak- 
ing the plain word at what it taught, but being raised up in the be- 
lief that God called and qualified preachers in this day and time, 
we confidenced them more than ourselves in the understandino; of 
the scriptures. Therefore, we have never been able to get right 
<lown to exercising common sense, and reasoning as we ought to 
have done, and as I hope and trust we will do in the future. Now, 
I have said and reasoned a good deal more on the subject of the 
eligible ones to the Lord's supper than I anticipated, and all I ask 



90 HELPS TO TITIXKIXG. 

the reader to do. is to go to thinking and reading the scriptures that 
I have pointed out and .do as Clnist says: "Examine yourselves 
and see Avhether you can discern or understand spiritual things or 
not," and ask yourselves what more you know about the Lord's 
broken body than anybody else that reads the Bible or I'ather the 
Testament. Those saints conld discern, or understand the Lord's 
broken body, and never had seen the Testament, for it was not 
written in those days. Xow, although we have multiplied thous- 
ands of so-called })reachers, supposing you had no Testament, what 
would you know about the broken body of Christ, and if the Tes- 
tament is your dependence, how came 3'ou to know more than any- 
body else that had tlie same book? So, now do 3'our own reading 
and thinking, and do your own eating and drinking. As to myself, 
I shall do no more eating and drinking commemorating the Lord's 
body whilst I live. Trusting that God will not charge the sin of 
t'ating and drinking to me as I knew iiot what I was doing; but by 
false teaching I thought T could discern the Lord's body, while I 
plainly see that if I can discern it, that everybody can discern it, 
and I will now have to be convinced that everybody should com- 
memorate the Lord's body that has the vrord of Christ and does 
not deny its truth or that believes its truth, before I will ever eat 
and drink any more, 'it is just one of the two facts and that is this, 
it is for everybody that believes the truth of the Testament, or it is 
for no body since the days of the Apostles or since the Testament 
was completed; so no natural man can discern spiritual things — 1 
Cor. '2 and 14, 15, 10, etc. 



WHAT PRAYEIJ IS. 



Prayer is a ^'cry common Avord and is a xevy common thing 
for people to propose to teach it, which is a false proposition; for no 
man can teach anyone how to pray, for pray ei^ is the mind and de- 
sire of the heart or iunerman, which no human on earth can teach. 
It is taught by God or the devil and (rod never did hear or an- 
swer the devil's ])rayer. He always answered His own prayer 
or the prayers of the saints or His divine people. Christ never did 
c mimmd anybody to pi-ay but His Apostles, but prayed often him- 
self, and there was no pra^-er ever answered but His and the saints 
of G)d or Christ. We see that Christ thanked His father for hear- 
ing Him when He raised Lazarus from the dead. But He said: "He 
knew His fatlier always heard Him, but because of the people 
A\h'.ch stand by. He said it, that they may believe that God had sent 
Him"— .lohn 11 and 41, 42. Christ always prayed to His father 
aiid give thanks to Him and He commanded the disciples to pra^y. 



HELPS TO TIIINKI>sG. U] 

but never did command a sinner or wicked person to pray but in- 
h:tructed the Apostles to pray in many j)laces and times — Matli. 
f) and 44 and 2(3 and 41 and Mark 11 and 24 and lo and 83 and 
Luke 11 and 1 and 18 and 1 and 21 and 3(3 and Joiin 1(3 and 2() 
and IT a'nd 9, 20 and Luke 22 and o2, 44 and Matli. 17 and 21 and 
(3 and 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and Luke 6 and 12 and ]\[atli. 23 and 14. Xow, 
these are aljout all the places that Clirist said anything about pray- 
er, Avhicli I hope you will examine them and see who he has com- 
manded to pray, then j'ou will tind many jdaces where the Apostles 
Iiave instructed the saints to pray and have prayed themselves. Xo 
one can never 'pray until they receive the spirit of prayer, and they 
never receive the spirit of j^rayer until they receive the spirit of 
God, or in other words, the understanding of God. It is impossi- 
ble for anvbody to pray for a thing that they do not desire and it 
is imi)ossible for anvbodv to desire a thino- within himself, or in 
«jther words, you cannot give yourself a desire for anything en the 
earth, and if you do desire a thing it is impov^sible for you to hel}) it, 
Xow, a perso7i can practice a thing that they do not desire, and 
they can keep from practicing a thing that they do desire, and 
tliere are many things that Ave practice that we do not desire, for 
instance, we practice, or at least some of us practices hard labor in 
the hot sun, that vr^ do not desire, and some of us whips or rebukes 
our children when we do not desire to do so. "Well, says one, 
what makes you do it if you do not desire it? Because of a re- 
sponsibility that is hanging over us! An honest person feels it his 
duty to work and support his family, and everybody that wants t(» 
raise good and industrious children feels it their duty to draw the 
reign over them in order to keep them in their proper place, and 
there are many things that some of us practice that we neither de- 
sire it or dislike it, but merely because we have been raised lip in 
that way and cannot see any impropi'itf^Y in the thing or practice, 
but really not caring anything about it, any more than you rather 
feel a duty to keep up a practice that your mother or father taught 
you in your raising; but at the same time, never taught you to de- 
sire it. If the raising and practices that we w-ere raised up under 
would make us love or desire a thing, ^the most of us poor people 
wouM desire to Avork, but common sense Avill teach anybody that 
no on 3 can have a desire for anything until the}^ can see or under- 
stand that there is spme beauty or some good or interest in some 
way or other. 

Tjiere are multiplied thousands of people that raise up their chil- 
dren to pray every night and morning; hence, making little bits of 
fellows memorize a prayer and repeat it Avhich is one of the great- 
est non-;ensical practices that ever sensible people indulged in. Any 
reasonable sensed person well knows that old, young, great or 
small might practice praying prayers, (so tp speak) a mile long and 
pray them every day they lived, yea, they might pray them Avithout 
ceasing, and except it Avas a desire of the heart it would not be 
worth the pur of a cat, for the pur of a cat is a natural thing Avith 



92 HELPS TO THINKING. 

it, ancl praying without a desire is mockery, hypocritical and of the 
devil, and as Christ says in the Gth chapter of Matthew: "They 
sliall have their reward, but their rcAvard will come from the dev- 
il." You will tell your child to pray with a desire to God, or the 
])reacher will tell the so-called convicted mourner to pray with a 
sincere desire of the heart, and God will hear them. You had just 
as well tell your sick child to eat with a desire, as to tell it to pray 
with a desire, and the preacher had just as well tell his mourner if 
it was sick to eat with a relish and a desire as to praying to God 
with a desire; and if they had a desire for God you might promise 
them this world to hate God and love the devil, and they could not 
do it. So, this teaching people to pray and memorizing prayers is 
all formality and hypocritical. Hence, the devil is the re warder 
for such prayers. Now, if you want to get up a desire in the heart 
of a persOii he must learn some good thing or good quality 
about a th^ng, and he must learn it by seeing, hearing, tasting, 
smelling or feeling. Now, hearing of a thing or person, or a per- 
sons good quality is not real — for instance you have heard of Geo. 
Washington and heard of his good qualities, and we hear of him 
being the father of our country, etc.; but that is not real and has 
not cultivated that degree of love in you for him as if you had ' 
have seen his good qualities, and received his Idnd acts and good- 
ness, or had Lave received a letter from under his own hand and 
read it with your own eyes. Then, you would have known and 
understood of his good qualities. Therefore, would have had a higher 
• legree of love and anxiety for him, and after the love and anxiety 
was established for him, no man, nor men, c^vild eradicate that love 
that was established for him. Nothing but his own evil acts could 
change the love you had in your breast for him. Hence, you could 
pray with anxiety for him, or 3^ou could pray with anxiety to be 
with him, believing in his goodness, as you knew of his goodness 
towards you. No^v, if you want to cultivate anxiety or prayer for 
Gcd in the heart of your children, you will first let them learn the 
Engl sh language and then they will learn of God from God's own 
word or hand- writing. The more any one reads God's word the 
more they learn of Him and His power and goodness, and they can 
learn it from no other source on the earth, for there cannot be any 
other account given of God, only what He gave of Himself ^ which 
is true, for He cannot lie. Therefore, when a man or person learns 
enough of God to create a love in his soul or understanding, he has 
then received the spirit or understanding of prayer, then he cai\ 
pray, and then he will ju'ay and all the devils out of hell cannot 
keep him from honoring and thanking God^ and imj^loring God for 
more of His goodness as He now knows the source of goodness, but 
there is nothing in your formal prayers — there is nothing in your 
vain re2:)etitions, for God knows before you ask him what you need, 
(^rod knows the very secrets of your hearts therefore, your words 
amounts to nothing only to be seenandheardof men, which is Phar- 
iseeical in the highest degree and God says that those that got up in 



HELPS TO THINKING. 



i\i\ 



the synagogues and in the corners of the streets anri prayed aloud 
that they might be heard of men, should have tlieir reward; but 
told the'xVpostles when they praj^ed to go into the closet and slmt 
the door and pray in secret, and they should be rcAvarded openly. 
Read the 6th chapter of Matthew for yourselves and if that does 
.not teach you that God taught secret prayer, I amthen^-eady to say 
that you do not intend for God to teach you; but that you would 
rather be taught of men of this world, hence, looking to men for 
your salvation and glory. 

I have said enough perhaps to make many people think a little 
about prayer and that is all I desire to do. If I can get people 
to go to thinking, that is all we like of understanding the word as 
it is laid down; but we have been lead so long by a set of prou<l 
lazy devils that would go to hell before they would work, that we are 
iieo'lectino; to a'ive the matter a thou2:ht as to whether we are on a 
sound foundation or not; but like young birds ready to open our 
mouths and swallow down anything that is presented to us by the fan- 
tastic crowd, who we have been raised to believe were cur 
superiors. 

I will now close on the subject of prayer, hoping that every rea- 
der may stop and think before the devil comes. I have always 
been told it was too late to pray after the devil came, and I believe 
it, for that would be policy prayer and not from a sincere desire 
and love for God, but merely to keep out of the devil's clutches, and 
])efore we can get up a desire for God we first have to learn of 
God, and there is but one place to learn of God, and that is in His 
own history for there is no other being on earth or in heaven that 
can give a history of Him; consequently, we have to become ac- 
quainted with God's history to know anything of Him, and the time 
is Yevj short to examine that book after we get on our death bed, or 
after the devil comes, for he is the one that kills us; for he has been 
a murderer ever since he brought himself to light in the garden of 
Eden, and yet he is still living, and but one that can destroy him, 
and that is Christ — Heb. 2 and 14. I close hoping that there will 
be a united resolution, with the working class of people, that they 
will in religious matters, take for their guide, strictly the word of 
Christ and trust men no longer and in jiolitical matters take the 
sovereignity of this government in their own hands and no longer 
be governed and pressed by the drones of the same, hence, 
breaking down the monopoly that has been feasting on the laboring 
mass of people for over fifty years. 



94 HELPS TO TIimivING. 

ON FUNERALS 



I desire to write a few words on the subject of preaching funer- 
als. As it has in this day and time became to be a very common 
practice, but like the most of the other practices which have been 
gotten up by the so-called preachers, without any foundations or" 
scripture for it, and as a general thing departing from the liberal 
meaning, for AVebster says: "that a funeral is a burial and used at 
the interment of the dead." Hence, you see that the people have 
departed from everything that is pertaining to an authority, and 
run right into a formality, or custom, which is leading the 
Wiiole world of people to-day. We see that Christ preached three 
years, and we see that some of the Apostles preached perhaps 
about sixty-five years, and have never seen Avhere either Christ or 
the Apostle preached a funeral. And it seems to me if it had been 
a necessary thing or a duty that they would have preached John 
the Baptist's, Christ's and Stephen's funerals and yet the people and 
so-called preachers are claiming Christ and the Apostles for their 
example. So you see that it is necessary for us to go to thinking, 
and see what we are falling into. It is no difference what some of 
our great men or fantastic fools, may start u]^, we are ready to fall 
in with it, and as soon as it becomes to be a popular thing that is 
all right, we will march on in tliat direction, if it leads us to hell, 
without ever stopping to think one moment. Now, we all well 
know that we cannot do the dead any good, and the preachers very 
often preach lies trying to preach them to heaven, and very often 
do it, when they were as mean as tlie devil wanted them, but 
they want to please the relatives as that preacher is a favorite of 
the family. If they had ever done any good kind acts that is told 
in the funeral talk, when God knows all of his acts throughout his 
life, and very often the ^jreacher knows of many of his corrupt or 
dissipated acts which he withholds from his audience. Now, if he 
proposes to speak of him, characteristicalty, he ought to tell his 
whole character to the people or say nothing to the people, one of 
the two. There is a o-reat difference between a man's character 
and his reputation. Now, his reputation might be good and his 
character bad, or his char4icter might be good and his reputation 
bad. You will bear it in mind that a man's character is what 
he actually does and what he actually is at heart. ' So, you if he is 
a man that desires to j^lease God whether it pleases man or not- 
His character will be good and his reputation might be bad among 
men, or his reputation might be good as a high-toned hypocritical 
man pleaser, and his character very bad; for his character is just 
what he really is hi his lieart. So, you see this subject is worth 
thinking about. A great many peopb never have thought but 
what the character and reputation Vv-^'S the same thing. So, think 
about this matter,, and all other matters and see what there is in 
them. 

This funeral preaching has no foundation only from the Popeish 



HELPS TO THINKING. 95 

(Tovernmeiit, therefore I cannot or will not try to say anj'tliing more 
only to go to thinking, and while you are thinking ask yourselves 
what makes a preacher take a text to try to preaeli? Where 
did he get his autliorit}^ for so doing? I would like to see some of 
Paul's texts that I could read them. This matter all springs from 
pride; that is one man tr3'ing to see if he could make a big- 
urer discourse from a few words than another, and it has gone on 
and on until it has got to be a popular way of preaching, when, at 
the same time, tlie devil was the father of it, for you well know 
tliat the devil is the father of all pride. I only ask you to think 
al)out it, and you will soon have the preacher treed, then you will 
knoAv M'liat to do with them. I close on funeral and text preaching. 



OX MINORS JOINING THE CHURCH. 



I wish to say something in regard to children or minors joining 
the cliurch. You readers may think that I am against everj^thing 
that is good, as I am opposhig so many things that are commonl}- 
practiced among what is called a good or religious people. I trust 
I am not against anything that is pleasing to God, and, I am sure, 
I will not oppose anything that God teaches if I understand His 
teaching, but if I understand God's word, and the teaching of the 
vrord, and the, teaching of common sense, there is no ground or rea- 
> .)n or justification or authority for a minor to join any church or 
any other organization under the sun, for he cannot serve two mas- 
ters or, rulers. God has plainly taught m His word that He was 
the head of Christ, and Christ was the head of the church, and that 
man was the head of the woman or familj^, and if the child is sub- 
ject to the parents it cannot be subject to any other power or oi-- 
ganization. Now, God was responsible for what Christ done, and 
Christ was responsible for what the church done, and man respoii- 
sible for what his family does, that is when the letter of the law 
was strictly obeyed, Christ strictly obeyed His father, the church 
^^trictly obeyed Christ, and the family should strictly obe}^ the head 
of the family. That would make peace, love and harmony in all 
families except where tlie head of the family was dissipated and 
(xud vfill settle with him by and by. Now, we see in the Apostolic 
times that when the head of the family believed and joined the 
church, that the whole house was received at the same time, an<l 
that is a very reasoneble conclusion for they are one body, one 
head and one ruler. For instance, if I Avere to tell j^ou that John 
Pealer had moved to Texas, what would you understand went with 
his family? Would you conclude that they were still at the old 
homestead? Or would you conclude that they had gone with him 
to Texas? Or if I were to tell you that I took the sheriff last Tiies- 



96 HELPS TO THINKING. 

(lay and threw John Slocum out of my house, would you suppose 
that his family was still in the house, or would you suppose that tlie 
family was thrown out with him? I remember a man asking me 
at one time w^hat I thought was the reason that God Fnever drove 
Eve out of the garden when He drove Adam out. I told him that 
was not a hard thing to solve or understand, for He had told Eve 
prior to that time that she should have a desire for Adam and that 
she should be ruled by him. So, when Pie drove Adam out He 
knew that Eve was under his control and was subject to Adam — 
therefore, when Adam went she went. Now, if you will point out 
6 le case in the Apostolic -days where any of a man's family joined 
tie church or believed before he did, I will then cease my argu- 
ment, or if you will show me one single case where any minor child 
ever did join the church or believe with his or her own accord, c,r 
without the father leading in the case, I will take back all I have 
written on this subject and ask pardon for trying to lead you es- 
tray. Then, why T\dll a man or these so-called preachers try to ear- 
ly out things religiously in a way that never was intimated by our 
Saviour who knew all things. It seems to me that the poor fool 
preachers or leaders are trying to get ahead of Christ the Savioui*. 
They seem to think that they know best how to increase God'ri 
family, and try to get a big crowd of God's people, that the}^ will 
have great honor for their mighty works, and will have a high position 
in heaven for their great works. God help all such poor fools I 
])ray. We should not try to run ahead of God, but if we will only 
carry out His will that is plainly laid down for us to go by, we will 
come nearer pleasing God to track His teaching than we will to try 
to add something to Plis word or take away something from His 
word. I remember that there is a curse pronounced against a man 
for either one — Rev. 22 and 18, 19. 

If a man is followinor after the teachino-s and constitution of thi<* 
world let him go by what the constitution says, and do no more nor 
do no less, and if a man is following afte.t; the teaching and coii- 
stitution of Christ, then do no more nor do no. less. We are just as 
apt to do wrong by doing more than is required, as we are to not 
do all that was required. Suppose a man had ten servants and you 
wanted one or all of them to help you do a job of work, would you 
go to the servant or would you go to the master to hire them? And 
supposing you was a centurion, that is you was a ruler or captain 
over a hundred men and you wanted fifty of them to recruit you in 
a fight or battle would you go to the men or would you go to the 
centurion? Supposing you wanted a horse or mule that your neigh- 
bor had, would you go to his minor son or would you go to the 
Father? Supposing your neighbor gives his boy some matches and 
tells him to go and burn your barn, would you blame the boy or 
would 3^ou blame the father? One might say it is owing to how 
large the boy was, etc. According to the letter of the law that has 
nothing to do with it. If the child is subject to his father at five 
years old, he is subject at twenty years old, just the same accord- 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 97 

in? to the constitution of the United States, for that constitution 
makes him subject until he or she is twenty-one years ohl; but 
pride, fashion, habit, custom and the want of stability and firmness, 
has brought about $. modification, hence, giving children liberty at" 
almost any age. Consequently, our State prisons have multiplied 
thousands of minors in them, and many minors fall victims to the 
gallows. So, these are the fruits of giving away to the law. If the 
temporal or literal law was strictly observed like Moses' law was, 
and executed like Moses law was, we would have but little or none 
of boys running away from their fathers. If we had have had 
sound men to have framed our laws there would have been a pris- 
on erected in every State to have placed every minor that was 
caught away from home where he was unknown without papers, 
and there kept until ordered away by his father or widow'ed moth- 
er. Then you would see a different country — different boys and 
different people, for good boys always make good men, and some- 
times bad boys make good men. This boy government is one of 
the most important things to think about of anything that has ever 
been thought of, for the whole world of men' were once boys, 
therefore, all boys should be raised subject to their parents, and if 
that was the case you would find good boys all over the United 
States; hence, if the boys were good the men that the boys made 
would be likewise good men. Consequently, you can see that the 
peace, love, harmony and happiness of this government hinges 
right on the government and training of the boys of our nation, 
and a boy cannot be trained unless he is subject to his parents. 
Seeing where the happiness and unity of this government lies, you 
cannot imagine how my heart is troubled when I am pondering 
or thinking over these matters; and at the same time, the privileged 
few^ have been as thev claim selectins; the shrewdest and best think- 
ing men to frame up the la^^'s that would attribute the most to the 
benefit, peace and happiness of our government, and at the same 
time, have never thought once of the most important points that 
would attribute to the interest and happiness of the whole mass of 
people, but never forgetting to tighten the band on the poor labor- 
ing man, that the privileged few may continue to feast upon the 
vitality of the laborer. 

Well, my readers, you see that I am trying to bring a two-fold 
view in this matter; now, it is claimed that our civil laws are based 
upon God's laws, and if so they will run very closely connected, and 
I am trying to bring to bear upon your mmds that if chil- 
dren were raised to be strictly subject to theii' parents, that they 
would believe whatever theii' parents said. Therefore, what- 
ever their parents believed, they would believe. Hence, 
you can very easih^ see how that the jailor and Cornelius 
came into the church by households. Their house believed 
whatever they believed, and any other house would believe 
the same if they were raised in the way that God taught and de- 
sired that they should be raised. God taught that a house divided 



OS HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 

ao-amst itself could not stand — Math. 12 and '25. Then yon see^ 
that He taught that a whole faraih^ was one, and, of course one 
head; then, all subject to tlie one head, then if the head of a body 
believes the whole body believes, and if the heaii joins the church, 
the whole body has joined the cliurch. 

• Xow, if this has not made it plain to you readers it 
is because you do not want to see it this way. Thei-efore, if you 
are not going to see it any other way, only the way that suits you, 
then go on your way with the pride of the world which is the dev- 
il; but there is one thing certain, if you will read this letter and 
think over it and read the scriptures that I have pointed out to you, 
for your consideration, you will be bound to confess that they are 
facts. 

Perhaps I have said enougli to make all the readers of this book 
go to thinking, and if I can get people to thinking that is my whole 
desire, for a thinking man is apt to get right; and a man that will 
not think and consider; there is no more certainty in him than there 
is in which way the ^^'ind will blow to-morrow; and a man that 
sees a fact and acknowledges it to be a fact, and then will not stick 
to the fact, there is no more certainty in him than there is in the 
one that will not think and consider. I now close this subject hop- 
ing that many will be made to think and consider. 



ON AYHAT THE WORD MAX MEAXS IX THE SCEIPTUPES. 



A«! the word man is misconstrued by nearly everybody that lever 
talked Avith, I desire to write a short article on the scriptural mean- 
ing of that word "man." Of cour^, grammatically speaking, we ail 
Igiow, that understands anything about the English grammer, that a 
man is the singular of men; but the woi'd man without the article 
the or an before it has a plural signification within itself and per- 
tainincr to Godliness, and anvthing^ pertainins^ to Godliness is very 
different to men. The word men almost throughout the scriptures 
has reference to the Avicked ones, or those that are without Godly 
understanding and Godl}^ love. Xow, the word man does not in- 
clude the whole Adamic family. It only includes those that were 
inspired, which includes Adam and on down, taking in Seth and 
Enos and on down the o-enealocrv of Seth including all those old 
longed lifed patriachs to Xoah or the Hood, and then onto Abraham 
an(f on to Jessee and on to David and on to Christ's mother. All 
this link of patriarchs had by inspiration a Godh^ understanding and 
a Godly love. So you see that God made man, which was Adam 
whilst He never made any men and called them Adam, and gave 
them a Godly understanding. Christ was the son of man and 
the son of God for He begat him, and begat him, of the family 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. m 

of the Godly understanding. So you will bear it in mind that Adam 
■vvas all the tieslily nian that God ever made. He made him good, like 
liimself, or rather after tlie image of himself, and if He had have 
temained as he made him he would have been good until yet; but 
they failed to do it, consequently, they became makers of men, and 
Adams process of making men or people has been kept up until to* 
day. Whilst, Adam's process never has made man nor never will, 
(but only made men). Xow, the class of people, that belonged t(» 
the family of God by inspiration, -before the coming of Christ, was 
different to the class of inspired people after the coifling of Christ; 
for before Christ the inspired famih'- of God, who was man, had 
their nature to carry with them, that is the lust of the iiesh which 
was miserable to the spirit, and they saw and realised that no man 
M'as good, no not one; for thej- saw that the lust of the flesh was con- 
trary to the lust of the spirit, whilst the inspired family, after the 
coming Saviour was dead to sin or in other words, had no sin or lust 
in the flesh, for Christ received the power from God his father, to 
make himself Avithout sin or without lust, and He gave the Apostles 
the same power that God gave Him, and they were able to make 
themselves sinless or without lust. Whilst they well knew where 
the power came from, for they knew all things pertaining to God, 
and they knew the whole family of man clear back to Adam, and 
the old prophets knew the whole famih^ of man clear on to the lat- 
ter days which was in the days of Christ and the Apostles; but A^'e 
in this da}', cannot discern spiritual things, therefore, we know noth- 
ino: but what the word of Christ teaches us and all men of our 
government has access to that same book. Therefore, all know it 
alike except those that have been blinded by tradition. And you 
well know that we all have strifes and divisions among us, there- 
fore, read the ord chapter 1 Cor., that is the 1, 3 or 4 verses of 
t and you will plainly see that we are carnal and cannot discern 
spiritual things. The yerj best church walking people that there 
are in our whole government will get up strife in their churches 
tor one will say I am for this man or that thing, and another one 
will say I am for that man or this thing. So, you see this is an 
undeniable fact, and you well know it to be so. 

Let us take a few misunderstood scriptural words and see if the 
whole understanding of the Bible is not destroyed. For instance, 
take the word soul and the word Holy Ghost and the words latter days 
and the word world and the word every and all, and the word man 
and not understand the scriptural meaning of them and you had 
just as well have an almanac to understand the true sense of Godly 
things as to have the Bible, and this is too plain a thing to deny, 
therefore, I trust that you will go to thinking, praying and reading 
the Testament, and for your praying, reading and thinking over, T 
will give you some scriptures to read and think over to learn how 
and where to apply man in the sciiptures, hoping that every reader 
of this little essay will read and stud}" over all the words and 
})hrases that I have been reasoning on and giving scriptures to ascer- 



lOU HELPS TO THINKIKG. 

t.iiii tlie facts as the scriptures slioiild be our strong arm in all 
cases. Give me the way bill of Christ, no difference where it leads 
me, just so I can meet Christ. You may think, at least some of you 
that I am giving you too much scripture to read and conclude it 
will take you too long, but remember that the time to read these 
scriptures that are pointed out, would be short to the time that it 
took me to search and know where to find them. So, do not get 
impatient. I trust you will be benefitted if you will read all the 
scrijDtures that I have pointed out in my essay with the proper in- 
terest. Xow, oil the subject of man — Gen. 1 and 26, 27. And 
2 Kings 1 and 9, 13. And 9 and 11. And Job 4 and 17. 
And 5 and 7. And 14 and 1. And 7 and 17. And 9 and 2. And 
11 and 12. And 15 and 14. And 25 and 4, 6. And 28 and 28. 
And Ps. 8 and 4. And 10 and 18. And 25 and 12. And 49 
and 12. And 90 and 3. And 104 and 23. And 118 and 6. And 
144 and 3. And 39 and 5. and 87 and 4. And Prov. gO and 24. 
And 30 and 2. And 1 and 5. And 9 and 8. And 14 and 16. 
And 17 and 10. And Eccl. 6 and 10. And 7 and 29. And 12 
and 5. And 3 and 21. And 7 and 7. And 10 and 2. And Mat- 
thew 4 and 4. And 26 and 72. And Isiah 2 and 22. And Jer. 17 
and 5. And John 7 and 46. And Rom. 7 and 22. And 1 Cor. 
2 and 11,14. And 11 and 8. And 15 and 47. And 2 Cor. 4 
and 16. Now. anywhere you see the word man without the 
qualifying adjective before it invariably has immediate reference 
to the family of God. I^ow, Gen. 6 and 5, 6, 7 you will find that 
God said "that his spirit should not always strive w4th nian, but his 
days should be an hundred and twenty years," that is long enough 
for old Noah to build the Ark. Those old patriarchswho were sons 
of God yet having their nature to carry with them, saw the daugh- 
ters of men that they were beautiful and went in unto them and 
taken themselves wives until they all became polluted and wicked 
and lustful until every imagination was corrupt. Then is when He 
said His sphit should not always strive with man. Take notice 
(rod's spirit never strove with anybody but His own children. I 
close hoping you will bear all these things in mind, and investigate 
minutely for yourselves. 



COKCERXING SALVATION 



Christ brought salvation to all people and gave them a sph-itual 
law to guide them through the journey of their 'fleshly walk, while 
on this earth, which will give joy or condemnation in eternity ac- 
cording as they were led b}^ the law or way bill,, from the fact that 
their understanding (which is the soul) never dies, but shall ever 
know and remember back to the earliest of their recollection and 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. . 10 1 

understanding. Hence, looking back and remembering tliat we 
liad Ciirist's spiritual la\^ which was written in our own tongue and 
so plain that a "way-faring man, though a fool, could not err therein;'" 
:ind, at the same time, remembering that we suifered ourselves to 
be lead by men's laws and rulings which will heap upon us our 
own condemnation, as was the rich man's case, for he knew that he 
iiad the law and prophets for Abraham called his attention to the 
fact and he knew that it was God's law or way bill or rather a 
school master to lead him to Christ, and at the same time, he suf- 
fered vanity, pride and fashion to reign in his heart, and for 
))roof that he had not lost his understanding, or rather that his un- 
ilerstandino' never died when he died. We see that he understood 
that he had five brethren back in the former world and desired 
that they be notified of his condemnation that was resting upon 
Iiim. I am now only pi'oposing to prove or bring to bear on your 
minds that Christ brought salvation (which is deliverance) to all 
people, to all liesh, and all nations, and after making known these 
facts to all nations, kindred and flesh. He then wrote a* divine or 
spiritual instruction to leall them through this journey of life. And 
1 :ieir- joy and happiness depends on their obedience to the divine 
law or instruction. And, for the readers consideration, I will give 
scriptures as follows: "The dead shall hear the voice of the son of 
(^od, and they that hear shall live" — John 5 and 25. "Christ is the 
l)read that give life to the world" — John G and 33. "Christ 
give repentance ^nd forgivness of sins — Acts 5 and 3, -1. "I will 
say that it is my peoj^le and they shall say the Lord is my God" — 
Zach. 3 and 9. "I will save the house of Joseph and will place 
tliem again and they shall be as though I had not cast them off. 
i am their God and will hear them" — Zach. 10 and 6. "All the 
ends of the world shall remember and turn unto God" — Ps. 22 and 
27. And 98 and 2, 3. 4. "Their words went unto the ends of the 
world" — Rom. 10 and 18. "All flesh shall see or understand the 
salvation or deliverance of God" — Luke 3 and 6. "Good tiding^s of 
_!:reat joy which shall be to all people" — Luke 2 and 10, 31, 32. 
•AH the ends of the earth shall see the salvation or deliverance of 
om- God — Isiah 52 and 1 . "Convince all that are ungodly" — Jude 1 5 . 
"Believe on him that justified the ungodly" — Rom. 4 and 5. "Christ 
died for the ungodly" — Rom. 5 and 6. "Then shall every man have 
praise of God" — I Cor. 4 and 5. "The law and prophets until John, 
^ince that time the kingdom of God is preached and every man 
presseth into it" — Luke 16 and 16. ISTow, all agree that there is no 
one saved only through the gospel, and we see that the gospel was 
kept secret from the time the world began imtil Christ came" — 
Rom. 16 and 25. And we all agree that we w^ould all be in a 
saved condition if we had no sin, and Christ said to the pharisees, 
"if he had not conie and spoken to them they would not had sin" — 
John 15 and 22. So, the law was all they knew, therefore, they 
were saved by the law until the gospel was made known by Christ, 
but suffered according as they disobeyed the law; and now we have 



10:> HELPS TO THI^-KTXG. 

Christ's divide law to govern us and accordhio- as we kee]) that law 
\v\]\ be onr doom in eteniitv, wliilst none will keep it to a jot and n 
tittle ''-for thei-e is none g-ood, no not one" — Ps. no and 13. And 
'•there is not a just man on earth that doeth good and sinneth not" — 
Eecl. 7 and 20.'. 

AYlien God says every man, lie does not mean a ])art, and when 
lie says all pe'Oj^le he does mean a part, or if he says a ])a]'t lie does 
!U)t mean all, and v>"hatever (rod says or does, shall be done for- 
ever — JLCcl. o and 14. Now, in refei'ejiee to Christ bringing salva- 
tion or deli^ei-arice to all people, I have given you the divine woivl 
for 3^ou to read, and now do what you please with it. I am not 
disposed to twist and bend (lod's word around to make it suit my- 
self. TIk' old covenant or laA\' is done away with and a ntw la\^- 
or covenant given from Ciirist and the Apostles, whic'li is our way 
hill — Heb. 8 and lo. So my readei's, by a close examination of 
(to.I's word you will lind tiiat salvation to all men, or in othei- 
words. He brought salvation to all peo])le, ami by noticing you will 
see tliat salvation is deliveraiice. i>ut you will iind that Christ on- 
ly saved a few, just such as (^od gave to Hhn, or hi other words, 
rdl that God ordained to etern.d life (and ordained means appoint- 
ment) — Acts lo and 4S, You \\ill read the whole of the 17th 
(•ha|>ter of John and yoiL will find that lie gave Christ some special 
()iies, Avhich they, with all rhe saints, vrere saved from sin while hi 
the riesh, that is sar.ctitied in the iiesh, or in other words, had pow- 
er given them by Ciirist to subdue or kill all sin in- the flesh, or in 
c4her words, was d.ead to sin that it could not sin, for in 1st John 
o and 9, he says, "whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin 
for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born 
of (ro<l;'' and he furtlier says, "whosoever sinneth hath not seen God# 
neither know Him" — 1 John o and 5. Hence, hj a close -cxailiina- 
tion of the word of God you will find that there were only a few 
sa\'e'l, but salvation was given to 'tlie Avhole Adamic family, and 
the heaven and hell of all of us natural or sinful jjeople will be ac- 
Cin'ding as we act in this life, foj" we will know or understand our 
acts oi: this life throuLi^hout etei'uitv for our understandino' cannot 
('ii\ but will be fresh to our memory as soon as the uiulerstanding 
(■r soul re-unites the living bod}- at thc^ resurrection, whi,ch Christ 
!i;is promised to all inankiml. Now, any common sensed man knows 
tliat accordhig to the scri})tures that La/.arus was dead four days 
^ni 1 when Christ made his btxly a living body, common sense teach- 
es anybody that his same old understanding re-united the live body 
and of course 3"emem1)ereth his whole travel or conduct of his life 
tintil his body died, tlien his understanding retui'ned unto the 
author of Iris understMiiding and there remained until his body was 
in:ide alive. Hence, that is isjie condition of us all when our bodies 
(li^ oui" und(M-standi]iLi-s will rctui'ii to whence we received them and 
jiwait, to-wit: The reileni])tion of our new or living bodies — Kom, S 
and 23. Nov.', my readers, I ask you to read and think and acknowl- 
cdo'C tlie trutli, for truth is J)etter than fiction or fashion. MVe all 



HELPS TO T1ITXK1X(^. 1 '-*> 



have the same word of God to read and woui'i ;Ui sve it ahke, hut 
for pride, fashion and fiction. So, as we make our hed in tins life, 
so, we will have to lie tln-oughont eternity. Now, in eonelnsion, I 
have only this to say to my readers that you liave Christ and the 
A])ostle's own divine words or teaching, and if you will not heai- 
tliem in place of men's word and teaching you will he like the rirh 
man in liell. He rememhered that he had Moses and the prophets, 
and he knew that his five brethren had Closes and the projdi- 
ets, hut he wanted .Vbraham to send '^ome one hack to tell them, 
l)ut Abraham told him that if they would not believe Closes and the 
Apostles that they would not believe one though they were sent from 
the dead, and so it is vrith us my fi-ieiids, if*we follow after men's doc- 
trines before C'ln-ist and the Apostle's divine "teaching, we wovdd 
not follow them though they were to come back from the dea(h 
Loi'd lielp ns to go to thiid<ing. Amen. 



TO TIIELAl^OHING CLASS, THE JLVC K-L>OXE OF TJTE 

WOHL]). 



This is a subject that has V^n <^i^ i^i}' niind for years, the most 
<»f my time, day and night, except when I Avas aslee]), I have been 
able to see for a long time, that is for a mimber of years, that the 
laboring or [)oor class of peo])le are becoming more and more sub- 
ject to those that estimate themselves as the superior grand and 
noble class of people. One more half century with tlie same ratio 
of increase hi that dii-ection, will l)ring us into a perfect aristo- 
cratical government; and really, we have been governed by the 
.•iristocrats for a good many years, and this thing has been growing 
and stealing on us for the last century and we have been helping 
to tie our own hands and bringing ourselves into a pressure whicli 
will tinally run to slavery; and we have not had sense enough to 
understand what ^ye were doing, but it seems to ine now, that a 
good sharp monkey could see where it is runing to. A high sphe^'e 
of life and litural education does not constitute a gentleman — it 
<loes not constitute a pure hearted man — it does not constitute a 
man of justice and equality, for 3'ou may take a thief and educate 
liim, and then he is an educated thief; and you may take a high- 
way robber and murderer, and educate him, and he is an educated 
]iigh-wav robber and murderer; and you mav take a low down un- 
dermmding scoundrel and educate him, and he is a low down un- 
lerminding educated scoundrel. So, his high s])hei-e in this life 
and education, does not make the man. I hear one saj' that there 
is plenty of the grand and the rich ,men that are friends to the 
lal orlng man, and I h3ar another man say that the laAvyer is a 
triend to the poor laboring farmer, and I hear another man say that 



1 «'U HELPS TO THINKING, 

the doctor is a friend to the poor laboring farmer, and I hear an- 
other man say that the politician man, who is representing us, is a 
friend to the poor and laboring farmer; I hear anotlier man say tliat 
the so-called preachei- is a friend to the laboring farmer/ I em- 
phatically deny the vvdiole thing and declare that there is not a 
word of it that is true. 

Xow, we will first notice what sort of a fiiend the grand and the 
rich man is to the poor farmer^.. He is a friend to him as long as 
lie can reap the benefit of his labor and nntil the laboring man'.s 
interest conflicts with his and then he is a friend to himself and is 
no longer any more of a friend than the fox is to theh^mid, for the 
fox is for himself. 

We will next notice what sort of a friend the law^^er is to tlie la- 
boring farmer. He wishes him well and to prosper and will pull 
the same end of the rope until it beojins to tio-hten on the laAvver 
and then yon will'see him kick like a young mule or a Texas pony. 
"Whenever the poor la,boring farmer's interest conflicts with the law- 
yer, it is an undeniable fact but what the lawyer is for himself. 

Xow, ^ye will notice what kind of a friend the doctor is to the 
laboring farmer. He wishes him well and ^hopes he will make 
])lenty and some to spare that he may be able to pay him what he 
owes him and another big bill, in case any of them get sick, and will 
walk side by side and'liand in hand witli the farmer until the far- 
mer wants to put the halter on the doctor to regulate his prices or 
■ charcces — rio-ht then ^'ou will see him sull and will walk no lono-er 
with the farmer and Aviil readily say, sir you have no right to say 
/ what my services are worth. I shall call in some other doctor to 

vsay whether my charges are right or not. Hence, you see when]the 
laboring farmer'and the doctor's interest conflict, he is a friend to 
liimself, and, naturally could not be otherwise. 

Xow, we will notice the politician men that is representing us 
and see what kind of a friend he is to the poor laboring man. 
We will see him walking side by side, and hand in hand from, the 
grand down to the lowest vagabond in the country, clojiming to be 
the best friend ibo him of anybody and showing his free hearted- 
ness by dra^^'il}g a bottle of the essence of the devil and telling him 
tolielp liimself with his hypocritical and deceitful smiles and laughs. 
The politician or ofiicial man feels like and thinks that he is a friend 
to nearly everybody and really feels like he is taking an interest hi 
and for the people of his couzitry; but take away his high salary 
and he has lost his interest and good feelings for the people and 
will desert his post; hence, you see that his interest and good feel- 
ings are in himself in place of the people, and his pocket is tender- 
er than his heart. He is willing to claim one united interest with 
the farmer or laboring man, as long as that class of people will vote 
for him and hold him up in his high salary position, which screans 
liim from the plovv^ handles in the beaming sun, and holds him up 
in a higher sphere of life and cultivating pride and laziness in him- 
self and family. Xow, let the farmer and the laboring man cry out 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 105 

to the politician and official men saj^ing sii's, you are having an 
easier life than we have, and you have a grander life than we have, 
and you have a faster life than we have, and you have a more com- 
fortable life than we have, and you seem to prosper more than we 
<io, and you seem to be able to educate your children better than 
we can, and you seem to be able to dress your children better than 
w^e can. -Hence, we will have to bring your salaries down to an 
equivolent to ourselves; for we feel like you are no ibetter than we 
are, and that you ought to live as economical as we do; and that 
your children ought to work as ours do, and that they have no 
right to a better education than ours, and that they have no right 
to any liner dressing than ours; and you will see the official man 
Vick higher than Hayman was hung; with a cry that the salaries 
are so low that we can hardly live; and county offices running from ' 
three hundred dollars up to thousands, owing to the size of the 
country and what country it is, and State and United States officers 
running from one to twenty-live thousand dollars per year, and these 
<3fficial men well know that there are multiplied thousands of as 
good, honest farming or laboring men as there are in the world, that 
are hving on as little as from one to two hundred dollars per annum 
and supporting their families. These official men who are realizing 
from five hundred dollars to twenty-five thousand dollars per an- 
num as long as they can keej) their position, would let these poor 
devils work their life away, and never say let us bring all things 
equal or level. Then you may call that a friend if you want to, 
but I see no friend in it, but the official man is for himself or for 
the money that is in the office. 

Xow, let us examine the so-called preacher and see what kind of 
a friend he is to the farmer or laboring man. It is true that a very 
large majority of this class of people are poor and ever will be on 
account of laziness, whilst there is a small portion of them that 
are farmers and good workers; but the noble ones, and the poor lazy 
ones are friends to the laboring men just as long as they will work 
and have enough to spare to keep them up in their idleness; and the 
more they can spare the more they will preach and pray for them; 
and when they quit dividing their labor with them, they quit pray- 
ing and preaching for them and let the devil take them. Now, if 
they can preach and pray enough to save their friends and quit 
preaching and praying when the money stops, are they a friend to 
the laboring man or are they a friend to the money or pay? So, you 
see that the preaching man is like the official man — he is for the 
money there is in the business. Now, I have investigated the cases 
of all these foregoing characters that I heard some one say was 
friends to the farmer or laboring man, I surely have proved it all 
a false, except policy friends, and a policy friend is not worth a 
mess of rotten eggs; for it is a sure fact when the policy fails the 
friend fails; though the whole United States or mass of people are 
acting upon policy to-day. Hence, it cannot stand. 

Now, let us examine the case of a true and genuine friend on 



106 HELPS TO THINKING. 

principle. TVe will for an example take your child or your mother 
and see what sort of a friend you are to your child or mother. 
Now, if the dry weather has cut your bread short and you see that 
you will not have enough to get through with, do you say to the 
child get out from here, I cannot feed you, or do you say stay with 
me, we will divide what there is and trust providence for more— 
we will all live together, or we will all starve together; and if your 
mother has a good horse that is of use to you in making a crop etc., 
and further, you expect to fall heir to it, and some disease kills the 
horse, do you say to the motlier leave here, I cannot feed you any 
longer, or do you say to her, mother, as long as I have, you have? 
So, we see that policy has nothing to do with it, for there is a prin- 
ciple of love and principle of honor 'and principle of duty that con« 
trol you. 

Now, we will examine a case of a policy friend. Here comes 
along a man and says to you that I have got into trouble and 
there is some one after me and perhaps will kill me if he meets up 
witli me for I have no arms, and I will give you five hundred dol- 
lars to protect me and carry me out of this country, doubtless, you 
would arm him and yourself and start with him fully believing that 
you would carry him through, and understanding that you was run- 
ning a risk of getting into trouble yourself; but the $500 policy was 
wiiat was prompting you to do so; but after starting with the man 
you find by some means that he had no money nor nothing 
else by which he could pay you. It is a matter of fact that you 
would right about your course and bid him good day, not caring 
whether he made his way through all right or not, and perhaps 
wish that his enemy would come up with him, because your policy 
failed. So, now you see the difference between a policy friend and a 
friend on principle. So, just whatever a man is in his heart is jiist what 
he is, and he cannot help it. If he was a dog, he would love a dog. 
If he was a bear, he would loTe a bear. If he was a human, he 
would love a human. If he was a thief, he would love thieves, if 
he was a ])olitician, he would love politicians. If he was a lawj^er, 
he would love lawyers. If he Avas a doctor he would love doctors. 
If he was a preacher, he would love preachers. If he was a mer- 
chant, he would love merchants (if they did not undersell him.) If 
he was a mechanic, he would love mechanics. If he was a rail- 
roader, he would love railroaders. If he was a child of the devil, 
he would love the devil's family. If he was an honest man, he 
would love honest raeii. If he was a child of God, he would love 
God's family, and if he was a man that acted upon principle he 
would love men that acted upon principle. Hence, you see that 
whatever a man is he is. A man can act many ways but cannot 
have but one principle. Pie cannot desire good and evil both. He 
cannot love honesty and dishonesty both; he cannot love purity and 
impurity both; he cannot love truth and false both; he cannot love 
soundness and unsoundness botH. As I have said in my formerwritings 
a man can change his pi-actice and a itian will soon fall in favor 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 107 

with what he practices, when he has good success and his conscience 
does not rebuke him, and no man's conscience ever rebukes him 
for doing what he knows is right. For instance, a man may prac- 
tice swearing until he will love the practice, and if he never was 
rebuked by man and his conscience he never would quit it; and he 
may practice not swearing and he will soon like the practice of not 
swearing and his conscience never will rebuke him for not swearing. 
Now, I propose to show you that the whole thing is entirely in 
your practice. I will enumerate the practices until you are obliged 
to acknowledge the fact that the whole thing is in practices. A 
person may practice driving his team hard or fast until he will like 
the practice, unless he sees that he is hurting it and his conscience 
rebukes him; then he can quit that practice and practice driving 
slow and reasonble and he will soon discover that he is saving his 
wagon or buggy and improving his stock and his conscience does 
not rebuke him. Hence, he likes the practice. You may practice 
beating and being cruel to your stock and unless you see that you 
have injured your stock and yourself, and your conscience never 
rebukes you; you will like the practice; and then you may practice 
being kind and good to your stock and see it is doing well and 
j^rcspering you a long, you will like the practice; boys and girls may 
practice idleing away their time and do not discover the folly of it 
they will like the practice of it; and they may practice studying 
their books closely until they see that they have benefited them- 
selves they will like the practice; and boys may practice flattery to 
girls and unless they discover it is making them unpopular and set- 
ting them back in the estimation of the girls and their conscience 
rebuking them, they would like the practice; and then they may 
practice sobei'ness and sincerity until they see that is building them 
up in the estimation of good people and feeling a clear conscience 
they will like the practice. Now, you cannot practice raising the 
dead — giving the blind sight, and turning water to wine, or blood. 
Why can you not practice these things? Because they are super- 
natural and belong to divinity or God; you can practice liberality 
and as long as you see or understand that you are not hurting your- 
self, you will like the practice; you may practice stinginess and 
until you see that you are hurting your good name and setting 
yourself back in the estimation of your neighbors you will like the 
practice; you may practice law and as long as you have good suc- 
cess, making money and building yourself up in honor you Avill like 
the practice; you ma}^ practice medicine and as long as you get a 
big practice and the pay is good you will like the practice; you may 
practice charging high prices and as long as you don't understand 
that it hurts your good name and your practice, you will loye the 
practice; you may practice charging low prices and as long as you 
jsee it is giving you a big practice, a big living, and a big name, you 
will like the practice; you may practice preaching, and as long as 
the poor laboring fools keep the gospel horse fat, well curried, 
atui rubbed doAvn, you will like the practice, especially, if he is 



108 ■ PIELPS TO TIIINKIKG. 

about a 2:4:0 trotter,- while they nearly all say that they are obliged 
to preach. I emphatically say that is false, for if you will turn their 
clothes into field clothers, and their buggies into ox-cai"ts, and their 
gospel horses into plow horses, you would find their woes would 
be turned into noes. You will remember it has been a common 
saying among the preachers, all of our lives: "Woe unto me, if I 
preach not the gospel," but cut the ease and fat of the world loose 
from them, and it would be no, no, no, it is not me; and, then, he 
7nay practice not preaching and find an easy place and a good liv- 
ing and honorable, you would like the practice; you can practice 
baptising by immersion, and you will like the practice; and you may 
practice baptising by sprinkling, unless you conclude that is contrary 
with the teaching of Christ, you will like the practice; and you may 
practice baptising by pouring, and if you believe that is pleasing 
to God, you will like the practice; you may practice taking in mem- 
bers in the church on probation or on trial, and if you don't con- 
clude that it is contrary to the teaching of Christ, and your con- 
science rebuke you, you will like the practice; and you may quit the 
practice of receiving members on probation, and feel that you are 
in obedience to Christ, and you will like the practice. You may 
practice baptising children and unless ^'•ou read the Testament until 
you are convinced, of an error, and your conscience rebuke you, 
you will like the practice; and if you practice not baptising children, 
and are not convinced that you ought to baptise them, you will like 
the practice; — but you cannot practice raising them in the family of 
God, for it takes a new birth to put them into God's family, and 
you cannot give birth to any one; neither can you raise up a child 
to love God, any more than you can make God, and the devil love 
each other. Every person on earth has to realize a fact, by 
one of the five senses, before he can know a fact. So, then hearing 
<if a thing is not realizing the fact. Hearing a thing is real- 
mng the fact, and smelling a thing is realizing the fact; but 
hearing that a thing smells sweet or offensive is not reahzing the 
fact, and reading or hearing of some one telling of tasting sweet, 
bitter, or sour, is not realizing the fact, but tasting of a thing you 
have realized the fact, whether it is sweet, bitter or sour, and read- 
ing or hearing of a thing feeling cold, hot, smooth or rough, or hear- 
iug that some one loved- or hated anything or person, you do not 
know it to be a fact; but if you feel of a thing, you know whether 
it is cold, hot, smooth or rough; or if you feel the love or hatred in 
your breast, you have then, realized the fact; if you hear one say it 
thundered, or the cock crew, you have not yet realized the fact, but 
if you hear it with your own ears, then you have realized the fact, 
and know it to be so. You may hear one say that there was. the 
prettiest woman at church to-day, there is in the State, or there was 
the blackest negro in town yesterday, that I ever saw. You have 
not yet realized the fact, nor never will realize the facts until your 
own eyes behold them; hence, let a person lose his hearing and 
he only has four senses, and let him lose his taste also, and he 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 109 

uiily lias three senses, and let him further lose liis smelling sensation 
and he only has two senses, and let him furthermore, lose his feel- 
ing sensation, both inward and Outward, and he onh' has one sense. 
Let him lose his seehig qind you could not learn him any more 
tiian you could learn a tree unless he had the sixth sense, that the 
grand, magnificent, educated theologian and expert Xortheast Geor- 
gian speaks of, which has never been discovored by any natural 
man on earth before, but according to the way things are going on 
now, it will not be a half century before there will be plenty of so- 
called preachers that can save the people better, nicer and easier 
than God, and can take the grand right into heaven, -with their jew- 
t'lry, silks and kid gloves on, with all their beauty and splendor, 
and i)lace them on the hio-hest seat in heaven, that thev mav walk 
the golden streets of the new Jerusalem, and I am not certain but 
what they will allow some of the most superior to ride in their sil- 
ver mounted vehicles, and dra\\'n by white hoi'ses; but thank God 
that the theoh)gians of this world, and grand leaders of this world, 
may lead the gay, the noble, the grand, the tender, the superior, in all 
their grandeur and magnificense to the peaidy gates of the New Jerusa- 
lem, but they will be met with Christ, who will exclaun, I never 
knew anything about theology of the world, or of your superiority 
and greatness of this world. We are all of a oneness here, there- 
fore, we cannot receive you in here, you will have to stay in your 
own country, for when 1 was down among you, I laid an example 
for you, and I wrote my will and left it with you for a way bill, and 
in my way bill I plainly told you that there was but few of the 
wise according to the liesh, and but few of the mighty, and but few 
of the noble that was called, and I plainly told you that I had no 
respect of persons. And did I not say in m}^ will that the rich men 
should ^\'eep and howl for their miseries that should come upon 
them? And told you that your riches were corrupt and your gar- 
ments were moth-eaten and that your gold and silver was can- 
kered" — James 5th chapter. "Did I not tell you that I chose the 
poor of this world j-ich in faith? Did I not warn you not to show res- 
pect to the one that had the fine apparel and gold ring" — James 
.2nd cha^oter. "Did I not warn you in my will to adorn yourselves 
in modest apparel? And not adorn yourselves with gold or pearls 
or costly array?"^— 1 Tim. 2 and 9. "Did I not warn you of your 
outward adorning b}^ putting on apparel? But the adorning be of 
the heart, which was a meek and quiet spirit?" — 1 Pet. 3 and 3. 
"Did I not say in my way bill or will for you to work with your 
own hands?" — 1 Thes. 4 and 11. "And. to work and eat your own 
bread?" — 2 Thes. 3 and 12. "And did not my father say to Adam 
in the*garden that by the sweat of their face shalt thou eat bread?"- — 
(^en. 3 and 19. "Have you done it? Xow, why would you pro- 
pose to come right into my kingdom contrary to all my commands? 
Xow, you have had my word in your own language, now who is to 
lame? You had sense enough to understand." 
You can practice whipping your children for their disobedience, 



110 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 

or YOU can practice talking to them for their disobedience, and you 
will like the practice that has the best effect. You can practice 
going off and leaving your wife the wood to cut, and if she neA^er 
rebukes you for it and your conscience never rebukes you, you will 
r*ke the practice; you can practice leaving her plenty of wood cut, 
and finding a good warm dinner or supper, awaiting you when you 
return home, with pleasant smiles from her, and you would like the 
practice; you can practice taking your wife, and family about 
among friends, and to church, etc., or you can practice leaving them 
at home, and doing all the going, yourself; you can practice chewing 
tobacco, smoking or dipping snuff", and if you do not find it filthy and 
expensive, you will like the practice; and you can practice having 
nothing to do with it at all, and hnding it neat, cleanly, and no ex- 
pence and you will like the practice; you can practice being uncer- 
tain when you retui'ii home, and you can practice coming home 
punctually, and if you find coming home punctually proves good, 
and pleasant in your family, and proves good to your feelings, you 
will like the practice; you can practice resting a long time at noon, 
or a short rest at noon, and whichever makes the most success and 
pleasure will be the practice that you will like the best; you can 
practice liaving big fires or little ones; you can practice feeding 
your hogs onc^ oi' twice a day; you can practice cutting up your 
wood on Saturday for Sunday, and if you feel like you have done 
your duty, jou will like the practice; you can practice cutting jowv 
wood on Sunday, and if you do not feel like you are doing wrong 
and nobody rebukes you for it, you will like the practice; you can 
practice going to meeting on Sunday, and you meet up with friends 
and have social talks, and feel like you have done no harm you will 
like the practice; and you can })ractice not going to meeting on 
Sunday and stav at home and read Christ's way bill, and by so do- 
ing you feel like you have learned something of your duty towards 
God, you will like the practice; you can practice paying your so- 
called preachers money, and you feel like you have done your duty, 
you ^y\[\ like the practice; you will practice not paying them any- 
thing, and feeling that it is their duty to work for their living the, 
same as you, you will like the practice of not paying them anything; 
you can practice kindness towards your neighbors and you get 
along well and pleasant, you will like the practice; you can prac- 
tice illness toward your neighbors, and if you feel like you are mak- 
ing r** success of it, you will like the practice; but you cannot practice 
tice loving or hating your neighbor, you cannot \mt your heart into any 
action at all; but your neighbor can put your heart into action in ref- 
erence to lovliness, or hatefulness, your neighbor can be sop good 
and kind to you that it will put 3'our heart to loving him, or your 
neighbor can be so cross and contrary with you until it will put 
your heart to hating him, and right here, I will say that not one ev- 
er loved God except that he could realize some good in him by one 
of the five senses. You could hear so much good or beauty about 
or concei"ning a person until you would imagine that you loved 



HELPS TO THINKIXG. Ill 

them, but it would all be imagination for when you saw the person 
\ou had heard of, you might be perfectly disgusted with them, and 
bv practice you can make your children almost hate you, and by 
practice the husband may make the wife hate thenu and by prac- 
tice the wife may make the husband hate her, but by practice you 
ean increa.se eacli others love. 

So, nov,-, I think T have enumerated far enougli that a ten yeM 
old boy, can understand that the whole tiling, with the whole hu- 
man family, is in accordance with the practice; and, now, whilst 
anv body but an idiot, can see it is a fact. Then if a man see and 
know the right road, and stubbornly will not go it, he ought to goto 
hell, where he belongs and the sooner the better, as he may Ik? in 
the way of vsonie one else, who would go the right way if they had 
no intluence to the contrary; and when a person ^ees and knows 
tlie right way and will not go it, he has no one to blame but hini* 
' i>elf; and this is sojulain that a way- faring man,- though a fool, cannot 
err therein, I hear one say that there was no use of the writer 
-enumerating so many practices. I desire to show and convince the 
biggest fools that are among us, the true facts of the matter, and 
a sensible pei'son ought to have known such simple things any way, and 
there are many things we well know if we had ever given the matter 
any thought. Xow, we see and understand that we can put any- 
thing into practice that is not supernatural, and we can put a sto]» 
to any evil practice that is going on as far as himself is concerned, 
then if he will practice himself to degredation, to shame and to dis- 
honor, and will persist in those ways what is he fit for? I an- 
swer he is not fit for bear meat, neither is he pleasing the devil for 
the devil likes men of a pretty good inHuence and having a little self- 
righteousness about him. 

Who made the laws by which we are governed to-day? Did the 
poor or laboring man make them? He did not. Did the rich, the 
politician and professional man make them? They did. Then, is 
it reasonable to suppose that they would have "made them against 
their interest? Evidently, we will know they did not. Then, is it 
reasonable to suppose that they made them to the most advantage 
to themselves? That is no hard question, for we know that they 
did; for they Could not be natural men and do otherwise, unless 
they were i:>olicy considered. AVe will frequently do things that are 
against our own niterest; for instance, to benefit our afHicted child, 
our mother, our father, our brother or sister, or our companions, or 
some one, that we, according to nature love. Or we will fre- 
quently do things contrary to our interest knowingly for the pur* 
pose»of accomplishing something ahead, or in some other place. So, 
you plainly see thm we never do anything contrary to our own in- 
terest without a consideration of natural love, or a consideration of a 
policy to accumulate money, property or honor. Hence, without 
, some of these considerations they naturally would make the laws ad- 
vocating their own interest, not caring what goes with the laboring 
man, or what he has to undergo, just so they can ride the high 



1 1 ^l HEXPS TO THIXKIXG. 

Aiorse in ease, pomp and i^plenclar, and in order that they may con- 
tinue to ride him they will cry ont to the poor and laboring men, 
we are yoni' friends — we are working- to yotu- interest — we vvill he 
with you in the sixth trouble and in the seventh, we will iiot for- 
sake you, which is as hypocritical^ deceitful and false as hell itself,, 
while some of them really and honestly believe that they are a 
friend to them just for the want of common, reasonable considera- 
tion and exaraing both sides of the subject, for you well know that 
you cannot be a friend to two opposite thing-^ at the same time. 
Xow, I am persuaded that no connnon sensed man will contend or 
argue that he can be a friend to God and the de\^l at the same time, 
for he knows that they are contrary to each other. So, if you are 
a friend to one you are an enemy to the other. Just so in en ery- 
thing on the earth. Xow, if I live on flesh and you live on vegeta- 
))les, and I have to have cold weather to save my flesh or meat, and 
you have to have warm weather to make your vegetables grow, can 
I be a friend to you in oVjtaining the warm weather and I knovring 
at the same time that it will destroy my food and starve me out?. A 
half idiot knows better than that, if he would give it ten minutes of 
unbiased thought or consideration, for God says that flesh is flesh, 
and spirit is spirit, and spirit lusteth after spirit, and flesh lusteth af- 
ter flesh and a rich man lusteth after the principles and doctrines 
of rich men, and politicians lusteth after the doctrines and principles 
of politicians, and lawyers lusteth after .the doctrines, principles 
and iiitei-est ^f lawyers, and doctors lusteth after the principles and 
interest of doctors, and merchants lusteth after the principle and in- 
terest of merchants, and if he is a so-called preacher, he Insteth af- 
ter the doctrines, principles and interest of the so-called preachei', 
and if he is a farmer and laboring man he lusteth after the doctrines, 
prmciples and interest of the laboring farmer. 80, you plainly see 
that you cannot be an advocate to two opposite things at the same 
time; therefore, you see that the laboring farmer is not a friend to 
the merchant, rich man, doctor, lawyer, so-called preacher nor pol- 
itician, for it is not possihle for anything to be an enemy to itself or 
a friend to anything but itself. 

We will very readly say that we are a friend to the negro in a ne- 
groes place, that is, as long as the negro will work for us and obey us, 
but as soon as he ceases to work for us or be any advantage to us 
we are no longer a friend to him; hence, we are oi^ly policy friends 
to them. Now, suppose that we get into a flght with some nation of 
people and the negro falls in with us we would readily say that we are 
a friend to the negro and perhaps feel like we were. Xow, after 
we have conquered the nation that we was contending with, the 
negro turns around and says this is our country, you will then see 
whether we were a friend to the negro or oursejjes; but we poor 
laboring fool farmers have been a friend to the politician and pro- 
fessional men all of our lives and an enemy to ourselves because of 
blindness by the grand, polished and hypocritical speeches of the 
educated and sciencad j^oliticians and professional men who have 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. lUi 

had the reigns in tlieir hands, enacting the hxws, of our government, 
wliich has accomplislied our ruin and enriched the privileged few. 
Then let us ask ourselves how it is, and why it is, that we poor la- 
boring farmers who are the back bone and sinew of the world (with 
an overwhelming majority) have suft'ered the privileged few (of 
whom a great jjortion of them are bankrupted scoundrels, and another 
large portion of them evading their just debts by clothhig them- 
selves m their wives clothes) have lead, reigned and ruled us. 
Yea, very nearly subjugated by such a rotten body? If one hour's 
serious meditation, will not rally us to a sense of our duty, we ought 
to be put in the asylum, or sold hr bondage; but, unless we right 
about our course, it will not take fifty years longer to put ourselves 
into bondage without selling; for we are giving ourselves into bond- 
age as fast as the wheels of time can move us oi^ Xow, if the 
knowledge of these facts will not unite us, and set us to work in one 
(.'onsolidated resolution, with a full determination to make our o'wii 
laws and rules and govern the nation in which we constitute, we are 
past redemption, and our children had better be dead. How is it 
tliat one man should have the advantage of another? How is it that one 
man's services is worth any more than another? Where did the 
law-makers get their information? It is claimed that the Bible is 
the foundation of all laws. We see that our county offices run 
from ^300 up to thousands, it is owing to tlie county's population, 
and we see that the State offices run from ^1,000 up to $25,000 
])er annum, and the United States office^ run up to more, 
.ind that a United States judge draws his same salary as long^s he 
lives, and a half fool well knows that there is no sense, no justice 
nor no honesty in such. I would like to know how and why the 
United States President was entitled to any more than the Gover- 
ner of a State? I would like to know how and why the Governor 
was entitled to any more than a county sheriff or clerk? I would 
like to know how and why the sheriff or clerk was entitled to any 
more than a district constable? And why is the constable entitled 
to any more than a road overseer? So, you see how it is, the poli- 
ticians have fixed all these salaries, and these salaries all come out 
of the laboring men, and a great many of these politicians that set 
;iud fix these salaries are men that claim to be christians who 
are following Christ's footsteps, therefore, taking the Testament for 
their guide, and by reading their Testament they can leai-n tliat 
Christ was the great president, priest or king of the nation. Yea, of the 
whole world, and He attended to the business of the nations, very 
attentively and they could further learn that He did not do it for 
the sake of the salary, but He did it for the love of His country or 
people. Therefore, the Jews were not taxed w^ith one hundred 
thousand dollars to payPIim for His services. Ah, says one, that 
was God and He did not want anything. Well, He came here to lay 
us an example by which to go by, and I would rather risk that be- 
ing right than every man on earth. But we will now, notice Paul's 
salaries: He was a man and was the chief officer among them after 



HELPS TO THIXIvTXG. 



Christ left this earth. He ^VRS an educated, high-toned man, and 1 
think he served as chief among tiie nations for about sixty tive years, 
and I do not see any account of Paul getting $25,000 per aimum, 
neither do I see where he got 25 cents per annum. Peter was also 
a ]n'etty good otiicer in that day and I do iK)t see no 81,'HHj per 
annum for him, nor do I sec 25 cents for him. He and Paul botli 
served for the love of the people of God. So, my christian, poli- 
tician Testament readers, "where did you get your authority for your 
liigh salaries? Did you get it from men or God? A.nd what class 
of men authorized you to set those high salaries? Was it the labor- 
ing men who are the sti-ength and life of the vrorld? Or was it the 
t><)liticians who never struck a lick towards tilling the earth in their 
lives? Mr. politician, 1: o V cuime a Mr. President any better than a Mr. 
farmer over here in tiie country? Why should he have any more 
luxur-iious victuals than this farmer? Why should he have anyiiner 
wines and whiskey than this farmei"? ^Vhy should he wear any 
finer clothes than this farmer? Why should he haA'e any more 
means and liberities to travel over this United States and world, 
enjoying the grand sceneries than this farraor? ^Vhy shoidd he 
hRve any finer residence to live in than this poor farmer? Why 
should he have any finer cigars, to smoke and finer tobacco to chew, 
than this poor farmer? Why should his wife sit up in her m?vgniti- 
cenee and idleness any more than this poor farmer's wife? How 
could'^lie enjoy all these grandeurs and luxuries if he did not realize 
large salaries wliieli come out of the poor laboring man, and he 
lia^'ing no voice in the matter. How could he raise his children up 
in the high schools and colleges if it was not for his high salai-ies? 
How could he keep them u[) in their magnificent apparel and idle- 
iie^s if it was not for liis high salaries? How could he send them 
on the n-on-horse from city to cit}"" and State to State, beholding all 
tlie grand sceneries of this earth, if it was not for his high sa,laries? 
How could he keep his boys out of the plow liandles and his 
daugjiters out of the kitchen and awa^^ from the wash-tub and cow- 
pen if it was not for these high salaries? I answer he could not. 
Then, are his boys any more right to be kept out of the plow handles 
than the poor laboi'ing man's? Has his boys anymore right to have 
access to the high schools and colleges than the pgor farmers? Has 
Ids daugliters any more riglit to be kept from the cook room than 
the laboring man's daughter? Has his daughter or wife any more 
right to be kept from tlie wash-tub and cow-pen than tlie laboring- 
man's daughter and wife? And indeed (out side of his salary) if 
he vras worth a million of dollars, does that make his wife and 
daughter any better than the poor man's wife and daughter? If 
you would take tlieir fine appai-el oft: of them I do not suppose 
tliat Uvo lawyers or doctors could tell which one was the rich man's 
faijiily if he would not examine their hands. For we are all the 
same Adamic fiesh and ought to be of a oneness, and ought to get 
our li-\'ing by tlie sweat of our face, no difference what amount of 
property we "svere to }>ossess. And H the laboring people had an}' 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 11.^ 

■osentment, firmness or stability, they would force eyery man ami 
woman to do tlieir own labor, and I pray to God if it is accordino- 
to His will, that tlie laboring people may see and understand that it 
i:> their duty to neyer strike a lick for tliose that are not willing to 
A'.'ork with their own hands, that they may be forced to do their 
own woi'k. God knows my heart, and I acknowledge before man 
and to man, that my soul's desire is that everj- man and woman on 
this earth were compelled to (h) their own work, except tlie old 
iud afflicted, and if the laboring: people would be a unit it would 
roon come to ].)ass. I haye read God's word a great deal and I 
know that He says in His own language that He is l(^ng 
uifering and forbearing, but looking down upon the ante- 
del uyians and seeing tlieir pride and wickedness He could not bear 
them any longer; and witnessing the wisdom, pride and yanity of 
this world that I iiaye witnessed for the last few years, I am madv 
to belieye that His patience is wearied, and will ere long, make some 
kind of a disposition of this present world. But God onl}* knows, 
(I do not know) what it wdll be. I see that the poor laboring man 

^ or people, take us as a mass, are silly enough to tr^'- to keep up with 

' the pride and fasliions of the greatness of this proud world of idh' 
and yain people, who are sucking the yital blood of the mass of la- 

L bonng people. They are like the lamb brought before the slaugh- 
ter and a sheep to her shearers, opening not tneir mouths. My la- 
boring people, ask yourselyes why this is? I will answer this for 
}'0u, it is because this thing has been going on so long, and has 
grown upon us so gradual that we could not see ain'thing Ayrong in 
it. Hence, this thing may go on for fifty years longer in the same 
process and we will be brought into slayerj^ and will not be able to 
bee that there is anythino- wrono- in it, but belie^-e it is all rio-ht. 
1 lierefore, we would be contented seryants, belieyins: that we were 
Cion)g our cbity. Also, the class of people to whom we Ayere seryants 
A\-ould honestly think it was rio-ht, from the fact that it had been 
gomg on so long and being taught by their ancestors that tJiey 
were superior to the laboring class of people. For we see that o^d 

. Paul was honest and canded in persecuting the church of Christ, 
from the teachings of his ancestors, for he said that Avas the cause 
of his earnestness^ , ' 

When I take a retrospectiye Adew of m}'^ past life, and considering 
Avhere I haye cast ni}^ yotes for tliirty-fiye years I am made to say, 
oh! what a fool I haye been, for I noAV see that I haye not exercis- 
ed common corn field sense. I haye suffered the grand, fiowery 
and pohshed speeches of the corrupt politician to lead me contrary 
to my own interest, and yote for the rotten hearted scoundrels to 
represent mA\self and laboring brethren, AAdio haye been framing our 
constitution aiid making our laws, as Aye thought. But alas, they 
haye been making their own laAys and tieing our hands, and the 
next thing Ayill buck us doAyn, and then they can use the paddle. I feel 
like we deserye a good paddling for acting against our better in- 
formed judgement, and my conscience is recen'ing stri])es eyery day 



116 KELPS TO THINKmG. 

that I live. I pray God to enable me to see and act better in what little 
future life I have to spend on this earth; and I ]3ray that I may be 
able to show and convince my children of the error that I have been 
in all ray past life, and to establish a resolution a,nd determination in 
them to never let the grand and flowery speeches of the corj-upt 
and rotten hearted politicians sway or lead them in any way, but to 
stick square and solid to the laboring world, live or die. I have 
been discovering this distressing political condition we were getting 
in for a number of years, and the more I have studied over it the 
more horrible it has shown itself to me, and seeing and understand- 
ing that the reign and rule was in the hands of the grand, the no- 
ble, the mighty, the vain, the proud and the rotten hearted politi- 
cian, I had dispaired of any remedy, and considered tliat the re- 
mainder of my life was but short, I could battle my way through 
tliis unfriendly, proud and vain world, but w^hen I would take into 
consideration my children and all the dear ones that I ^vns leaving 
behind, who bid fare to live a half century, my heart was made .to 
mourn and bleed over the anticipated condition of affairs, and I had 
Ijut one reconciliation to my soul, and that was I could sa^^ that we 
were all in the hands of God — that is, those of us that trusted in 
Him, and tried to obey His written word; and there is a duty for 
us to do and perform, and God said that He would not suffer His 
children to get into "trouble or tribulations beyond that they could 
bear." And when the farmer or laboring men made their strike 
and commenced fornfing themselves into organized bodies, agree- 
ing to allie or stick together on a principle of labor, I began to have 
a hope that salvation w^as opening up itself to the laboring people; 
giving them joy in contemplation of redeeming themselves from un- 
der the tyranical yoke which has been forced on us by an organized 
body of professional politicians and aiistrocratic people. But, see- 
ing so much of the little pin-hook, unprincipled and rotten-hearted 
fellows who have gone into the organization of the Alliance, I ac- 
knowledge that I have become a little weak and fainty. But I pray 
(xod that you Alliancemen may make yourselves a unit and rally 
yourselves up to a principle of industry, ti'uth, honor, solidness, 
and firmness, ^^■ith a resolution and determination to be true, to the 
llboring world of people, and if you are true to yoursef you are 
true to the laboring body, and I am sure now that the reign or rule 
is in the farmers or laboring man's hands if we are true to ourselves. 
We ought to consider this one thing, it is no difference how . rneahi 
a man is if he is a farmer, his interest is in a farmer or laboring 
man, therefore always go for a farmer or laboring man, it is no dif- 
ference how mean he is, (that is I mean in oflicial business) for he 
could not be any meaner and unsounder than the politician has 
always proved himself to be; but we have plenty of good sound 
men to represent us. We want to change the whole program. The 
program heretofore has been men seeking office, and the man that 
had the most money and the most whiskey and the most un- 
soundness and the most deceit and h^^ocracy and the most rotten 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 117 



heartedness, is the one that got the office; and why it is that he Avill 
make all these efforts and sacrifices for office? it is because tlie 
salaries are large and makes it a fat place. J^ut this is the program: 
Keduce tlie salaries down equal to the laboring man who gets iifty 
cents per day, and then the office would have to seek the man, in 
place of the man seeking the office, and when the office saught the 
man it v.ould always seek a good man or the right kind of a man — 
and indeed if there were no salaries at all, it- would be for better, but 
let eveiy true man to his country, feel it obligatory to serve his 
proporitional part in the official business, the office paying its own 
expenses. For instance, the road overseer gets no salary, hence, 
The office has to seek the man, and he feels it his duty to serve his 
proporitional part, while at the same time the law compels him to 
serve. So, you see if there were no salaries for the President's office, 
more than a man could make by farm labor the office would Ifave 
to seek the man, consequently, we would always get a good man 
for a President and one that would have no-other interest only for 
his country, while the President's interest now is for the salary and 
M'ould not care if the Goverment sank if he had his salar3^ If you 
wanted a Governor ^d the salary was in proportion to what the 
laboring man makes, the office would have to seek the man, conse- 
quently, we would get a good Governor, and one that would not 
have an interest in nothina: else but the interest of his countrv. 
Even so, on down to the ordinary, clerk and sheriff. If the office 
saught the man we would always get an honest officer, whilst there 
would be no inducement to lead him to dishonesty, and when his 
time was out he would be glad to return home to his farm and family. 
Again, T say to the Farmers Alliance or laboring man, if you un- 
derstood as I understand, you would need no secret society, for I 
can declare myself for the interest of the laboring man throughout 
the world, and in the corners of the .streets, and on the house tops, 
and emphatically say that they ought to rule the nation which they 
maintain; and we can do it if we will be solid, and surely a half 
idiot can see far enough to stand to his post, and if we stand solid 
the last politician President has taken his seat. Also, the last poli- 
tician Governor has taken his seat, and so on down to the consteble, 
and if ^ye are not awake as Paul said there "would be grievan 
wolves slipping in on every side subverting and trying to put on 
sheep's clothing." The truth of the business is, that no man is a 
true Farmers Alliance unless he is a laboring man himself, except 
he is an aged or afflicted man, and any man that screens his family 
from labor is not a true Alliance, and such men should never be 
put in office in no case. If you are advocating laboring people, 
stand to the principle and don't go to modifying, sympathizing and 
giving away — that is what has ruined the world to-day. If the 
grand aristocrats are going to reign and rule the nation let 
them rule it; if the politicians are going to reign and rule let them 
rule, and if the doctors are going to reign and rule let them rule, and 
if the so-called preacher is going to reign and rule let them rule. 



118 HELPS TO THIXK^G. 

and if the merchants are going to reign and rule let them nile, and if 
the la])oring men are going to reign and rnle fet them rule. I hear 
one say tliat you seem to be right selfish. 'No sir, I am not selfisli 
for I would be glad that we were one united people, all doing as 
God commanded us to do. The grand and the vain aristocrats say, 
you have cut us off and do not allow us any voice in the govern- 
ment. Xo sir, yo^i are mistaken, for I desire that you may become 
laboring men and tillers of the earth as God commanded you to do* 
and then you would have an equal voice with us, and we Avould all 
be one people, for this government does not need any of your sort 
to make her prosper. Xow, let us suj^pose for one moment, tliat 
we were all your sort, then how long do you suppose it would take 
us to starve out. So you see that your sort will not do or would 
not" stand. I hear the politician say that I see that you propose to 
take the whole tiling out of our hands and allow us no voice in it. 
No sir, you misunderstand me, I would be glad that you would 
come in and walk side by side with us helping t() till the ground as 
God commanded, and let us all be one united body of people, for 
we do not need anv i)oliticians at all, no not one, for thev are a 
curse to the nation. Xow, let us suppose that we Avere all poli- 
ticians on the earth, I am of the opinion that God's patience could 
not wait long enough to drown us, but would send us to hell alive. 
So, you see that your sort would not do. Then, if your platform 
Aviil not stand come over on ours, for the laboring platform has 
stood about 6000 years. I hear the lawyer say that you do not 
seem to want us to ha^-e any voice in your government. You are 
mistaken, ray brother, for we need more laborers and better ones, 
and it seems. to me that if we had youin to the harness you would be 
very able and free, as you have been resting all Voui' lives, and 
Ave Avould be glad to liaA^e you help us to till the gi-ound. But 'says the 
laAvyer, Avhat Avill you do about laAvyers? Thank God, Ave Avill not need 
any lawyers. As soon as we can send farmers to make the laws all 
we want is the plain law case and evidence before a magistrate. 
We do not want anvbody there to deceive and ti'ick and swindle 
sor^ one out of their rights, and then charge more than the orig- 
iiiardebt, and then get up a protracted case for you and some oth- 
er laAvyer, that you may haA^e a' fat time as long as the poor labor- 
ing man's money holds out, and you know that these are undenia- 
ble facts, and furtliermore, if you Avould lay down your individual 
interest, you well know and ought to acknowledge that a laAA^yer 
Avas the grandest curse to the prosperity of the laboi'ing people than 
anything on the earth, and a perfect nuisence to everything of this 
Arorld, except themselves. Now, let us examine the case and see 
who you are any adA'antage to but yourselves. Are you any ad- 
vaiitage to the cause and prosperity of God's people? No, but you 
are a cui-se to the cause of God. Are you any advantage to the 
doctor? No, except Avhen you get sick. Are you any advantage 
to tlie merchant? Yes, I acknowledge that you are the most ad- 
vantage to the merchant of any people on tlie earth according to 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 11 !« 

number, for a'ou dress more and finer than any otlier class ot 
people, therefore, I have to acknowledge that you are an advantao-c 
to yourselves and the merchant. But let us examhie a little further. 
Are you any advantage to the farmer or laboring people of this 
world? You are not. But a damnable curse in everything per- 
taining to their interest, and for the last one hundred years, have 
been mystifying and tangling the laws by which they are governed. 
in contemplation of feasting and fattening, by sucking the vital 
blood or essence of the laboring farmer, and your contemplated 
plans have worked out to a perfect success, and this thing has been 
HO shrudely, smoothly and gradual, that the mass of farmers have 
not been able to discern anything wrong in it. Therefore they ai-e 
not aware of their vital drainao;e, neither are thev awai-e what class 
it is that is feastino- on their drainao-e. Thev are all aware that 
there is a leak somewhere and they are aware that they arc- 
kept exhausted; but how to find the leak has been the theme for 
years, and the mass of farmers think to-day that the merchant 
is the man that has been sucking their heart's blood, 
which is a grand mistake, whilst I am opposed to the whole plan 
of merchants, which 1 will try to explain by and by. But accor- 
ding to the shape of affairs that are now existing, the merchant Inu^^ 
been the best friend to the poor laboring man of any people on 
earth, and indeed the poor class could not move a wheel with- 
out the merchant, whilst I admit that the merchant takes a good 
yuck at each and exery one of them before he lets him go, while the 
lawyer is no advantage to them on earth. Therefore, they are the 
most uncalled for thing that has ever been on this earth. So I 
think there has been enouoh said about the lawver to convince 
everybody but a lawyer, that he is, or his practice is of no use, and 
indeed, he kyows it to be a fact, if he will open his heart to convic- 
tion. 

I admit that the way things now stand, that if a man gets into 
law trouble that he cannot do without them. Therefore, I would 
readily employ one to defend me, but I pray the day is not far dis- 
tant, when we will have no need for them. I do not dislike a law- 
yer because he is practicing a thing that is wrong, but I dislike the 
[)ractice, and would like to do away with the practice. I knoAV 
men that have committed murder, that I like. I know men that I 
have stolen, that I like. I know men that have swindled, that I like. 
I know men that have lied, that 1 like. I know meit that are dissi- 
pated and drunkards, that I like. But I abhor the j^i'^i-tice of all 
these thhigs, and I pray to God that they may all cease to be 
a practice, and I pray that I will be able to war against all these 
practices just so long as I live on this earth, and keep my ration- 
ality, and I pray that every man that practices anything that is not 
right and contrary to the interests of his fellow man and to God. 
will be able to see it and turn from the practice. 

I hear the doctor say that you do not seem to allow us any voice 
in your government? I admit Mr. doctor, that to be a fact, and I 



120 HELPS TO THINKING. 

will tell you the reason why I do not admit jo\i in our body of 
law-makers; in former days a goodly number of you have been in 
the body of-law makers, and I see that you made yourselves a sover- 
eignty in reference to your prices. You are allowed to charge, vour 
OAvn prices and no one is allowed a voice in the matter as to wheth- 
er it is right or wrong, high or low, but yourselves. If you were to 
sue me on an account and I was to file a plea that it was too high or 
unreasonable, and were to call in three good farmers to say wheth- 
er or not it was too high, you would very readily say, no sir, a far- 
mer cannot judge my price. Well, then, I will take three good 
mechanics, and you would sa,y no sir, no mechanic judges my work. 
Well, I will take three merchants, no sir, no merchant can judge mv 
work. Well, I will take three lawyers, they know what is right, no 
sir, a lawyer cannot have any voice about what I charge a man. 
Well, then I reckon you will take a preacher, as they ai-e good men, 
no sir, no preacher shall have any voice in my business. Well, 
what will we do, or who will we leave it to? You will readily say 
we will get three other doctors and let them say whether it is right 
or not. So, you see it is a one sided business and that nobody but 
doctors were at the head of it. However, the lawyer is in the 
same fix and you and them may have swapped votes — he helped 
you and you helped him. So, Mr. doctor, if you had not shown 
j^our selfish principle in former days, we would have had no objec- 
tion to your voice in our legislative body. Now, we want the hal- 
ter on you as same as ourselves, and when the farmer makes the 
laws they will put the halter on you. 

Now, I am of the opinion that there is a fair and legitimate thing 
in physiology and medicine if the physician would act fair and legit- 
imate in the business, there is no doubt in many cases, good done, 
and in many cases harm done. Perhaps one in ten that die are 
killed with medicine, and perhaps nine out of ten that get well would 
do so without a doctor and to take the whole mass of people they send 
foi* a doctor ten times where they need not send three times, and 
while I believe in the practice of medicine if it is practiced by a good 
honest man, there is a great deal of humbugry in it, or rather 
in the practice of medicine. For the world is now full of quacks 
and perhaps always will be, for I know no remedy to get rid of 
them unless it is to starve them out by not giving them any prac- 
tice. For I believe a great portion of them w^ould nearly starve be- 
fore they would work. It has been almost a universal thing for a 
man when he commences practicing medicine, for him. to quit work 
even if he ever had been accustomed to it, and of course he gets 
lazier and a good deal prouder, and as a general thing, he will raise 
his family idle and proud, consequently, he commences abusing the 
business, or practice, and the people, for not paying him, and saying 
it w^ill not support him and he will have to quit the business, and 
perhaps he, realizing, from one to ten times what he could realize 
by labor, and if the rest of his family would work like his neighbor 
farmers family work, and wear the same kind of clothing, and eat the 



HELPS TO TIIINKIXG. 121 

same kind of food, lie would be 'doing well. Now, if the doctor's 
family would work like the farmer (I mean the laboring farmer,) 
<lress like the laboring man, eat like the laboring man, and save 
like the laboring man, he could charge one-fourtli what he usually 
does, and make a good living or better than an average farmer 
who works hard. 1 hear the merchant saying to the farmer or labor- 
ing man, you are very anxious to buy my goods on long time, and 
some times never pay me for them; but you do not seem to want 
jue to have any voice with you, in your government matters. That 
is true Mr. merchant, but the reason of that is because you are a 
different feathered bird to us; your labor is lighter and nicer, and 
vou wear finer clothes, and eat hner victuals; and, as a general 
thing, 3"ou raise your children tip in idleness and educate them bet- 
ter than we do or can, and you grow richer, and we grow poorer; 
consequently, we know that you sell your goods, and make a larger 
per cent, than you ©uglit to, or you could not do all these things. 
Xow, if you would raise your families, like we raise ours, that is to 
work as ours work, dress as ours dress, eat as our eat, go to 
school as ours go, and then sell your goods, at such prices as will 
keep you on a level with us laboring people, we can lind no objec- 
tion to you, and would be willing to walk with you side by side on 
one common level; but you never have done that, nor you never Avill 
do it, until you aft-e o"bliged to do so. We, the laboring farmers 
think there is a better plan than to have so many merchants — we see no 
use of any merchants; but let us ship our goods direct from the 
manufacturing department to the nearest depots of our country, 
thence to each distributing place nearest, and those goods should 
belong to the organized body of farmers and the man or men that 
handle them, to work for wages, and to give bond for his honest 
behavier. Hence, by so doing, the farmers would, be able to down 
every cit}^, and town in our nation, and place the merchants to the 
tilling of the soil, and perish out the drummers, for the opinion of 
many people is that they would perish before they would work, and 
if that plan fails to extinguish them, perhaps there will be some 
other plan by which they can be disposed of, for I am of the opin- 
ion that there are thousands of people that are trying to invent 
some plan to get rid of them, for I do not think there ever has been 
a greater plague on this earth since Pharo's frogs were here. You 
may travel the railroads and you Avill find them like black birds, one 
trying to get ahead of the other, and you may travel the streets of 
the cities, and you will find them like the ants, going both ways, and 
you may go into the store houses and you will find them there an- 
noying the merchant, and the merchant tr3dng to get rid of them in 
order to wait on some customer, and you may go the hotels and you 
will find them there as thick as gnats, callmg for the best furnished 
rooms, well carpeted and warmed up, and having the waiters well 
tutored by imparting to them a few nickles, which you will see by 
going to the dining room and seeing the waiters pulling his chair 
back and placing it under them, and then whispering to them, what 



122 HELPS TO THIIs^Kma 

will they have. You will then see the best lu:^ui-ies brought t<? 
tliem that the house can afford; and at the same time outside of 
their wages, they would not be able to give a church mouse its sup- 
per, and perhaps, they are in debt for their suit they have on 
their back, and a great many of them that were raised up in some 
remote and obscure cove of the mountains, on Irish potatoes, cow 
peas, cabbage and corn bread, and, at times, not plenty at that. 
But, if you will notice in traveling over this world, the one-horse 
or scrub aristocrats are the biggest fools, and the most disgusting 
people in the world, and you do not only meet these doodish fops 
in the cities and hotels, but you may travel the country liigh ways, 
and you ^nll meet tliem there in their* two-horse vehicles, hardly 
condescending to give their superiors half the .road, and you may 
go in the remote country stores and you will iind them there, and, 
indeed, you Avill find them everywhere, unless you was to go to 
heaven, and I am sure you would not iind them there, for God's 
word says that "all liars shall have their part in the lake that 
burns with lire and brimstone" — liev.21 and 8, (and God cannot lie.) 
Xow, I hear the so-called pi-eaeher say, you do not seem to want 
us to have a voice in your legislative bodies. That is so, my broth- 
er preacher, if you are not a laboring farmer you are a bird of a 
different feather, consequently, we could not ex2:>ect *you to have an 
interest in a different species to yourself; for you that labor not 
with your own hands are in disobedience to Paul's command, and are 
not interested in anything but the gospel horse, hence, if you had 
the power of enacting the laws of the government you certainly 
would pass an act compelling every laboring farmer to help feed 
the gospel horse, and we are not Avilling to help support them that 
will not work with their own hands, for we see no where in God's 
word any requirement of that kind. This gospel horse business is 
all man's get up, therefore, it is all of the devil, for God's word 
teaches us that all men are liars — Ps. 11(5 and 11. And Rom. H 
and 4. "Let God be true and every man a liar." There are 
nuiltij^lied thousands of 3'ou gospel horse riders doing no good for 
any thin <T on this earth but the devil and yourselves, for the most 
ignorant and unlearned farmer knows that you cannot serve two 
masters or love two things that are contrary to each other at the same 
time, then you either love the de^•il and hate God, or you love God 
and hate the devil, and if you love mammon, which is money, you 
hate God, and if you love God you hate mammon or the things of 
this world; for Paul clearly taught that he had no interest in this 
world nor anything that belonged to this world, for he said the 
things of this world was as dung to him. And more than that, 
you are simple and ignorant enough to tell and urge people to do 
things that you cannot show, nor tell them how to do. For in- 
stan(;e, you will command, instruct or urge the uni-egenerated to 
believe in God, and he shall be saved or receive his blessing. Or 
in other words, you will command and urge him to trust in God, 
and he sliall be saved or receive God's blessing^. Or vou may com- 



HELPS TO TIIIXKTNG. 12^ 

maud and urge him to love God, and he shall be saved or lie shall 
receive God's inheritance, and at the same time, you cannot tell nor 
sliow him hoAv to believe, or how to trust, or how to love, any more 
than a fool. And any man that will tell others to do a thing and 
cannot tell nor show liini how to do it, he is a fool for the want of 
common sense. Now, trusting, believing and faith are all the 
same thing, then these things are the gifts of God, and cometh 
from God. Xow, Christ was a preacher from God, and the A})Os- 
tels were preachers from Christ. So, God sent Christ and gave 
Him the power over allllesh to raise the d^^ad, and heal the sick, ami 
do all manner of miracles; and Christ sent the Apostles to ])reach, and 
gave them His power over allHesh, just like God gave Him to raise 
the dead, heal the sick, and do all manner of miracles. Now, Avho 
did the Apostles send to preach? My Testament has never taught ' 
me who they were, and if the Apostles sent out anybody to preaeh 
or do their work, and did not give them their power, tliey were 
fools. A poor clod-headed farmer that was raised up between tlie 
plow handles, knows better than that. For if he was to send a man 
out to chop wood he would give him an ax, or if he was to send 
liim out to cut wheat or oats, he would give him a sytheand cradle 
or a reaper, or if he was to send him to cut a ditch, he would give 
him a shovel, or if he Avas to send him to hoe cotten-* he would 
give him a hoe. So, you see plainly that you are not a preacher or 
God v/ould have ht and qualified you for the business. Then, you 
are not a farmer. So, what are you? You are nothing but a gos- 
pel horse rider, and a blinded fool, as Christ said to the Galatians: 
"Oh! fool Galatians who hath bewitched you?" After Paul had 
taught them the word of God, they then suffered some 2:)olished de- 
ceivers to come in and throw them out of the right way, which was 
tlie way of Christ; and you liaA^e done the same Avav after bavins' 
Christ's own preached Avord, and it written in plain English, that a 
ten year old boy Avould understand, that had. no traditional teach- 
ing. But you haA^e fallen in with the wisdom of this Avorld, and 
the vain and fashion or custom Avhich has been a fashion or custom 
so long, that you haA^e ncA'er took a thought of anything Avrong in 
it. And that is the way of the poor laboring farmer, he has been 
lead by the grand and noble politician and professional men, and 
decei\^ed by their floAvery and hypocritical speeches for over an 
hundred years, and the laboring farmer, belicAang it Avas all Yight, 
and ncA'er Avas able to see any better until his hands Avere tied hard 
and fast. They are now trying to repent, but they are mighty nigh 
Avhere Esau Avas when he had sold his birth-right to Jacob. Esau 
Avept in tears but saAv no place for repentance, or turning away. 
So, it is mighty nigh the case Avith the farmer, they haA^e let this 
thing go on until the}' Avill have to make a desperate struggle to re- 
deem themselves, and there is only one Avay to do it, and that is for 
the laboring man to stick square out against all others and not al- 
loAV no half-handed felloAVS or gah^anized farmers to liaA- e a voice in 
the matter, for the laboring poAver is th'e power of the Avorld, and can 



1-14: HELPS TO THINKING. 

• : 

control it if tliey will cleterminately stick together, and confine it. 
strickly to labor and allow no other power to come in. They should 
l)e none of the noble, vain aristocrats, none of the politicians, none of 
the lawyers, none of the doctors, noiie of the merchants, none of the 
mechanics, none of the gospel horse riders, nor none of the farmers 
who do not labor with their own hand,-?, except it be on account of 
age or disability, for the laboring people is the power of the world, 
and without them the world would go into nonentity quickly. 

Then, ray fellow laborers, when you know that you are the 
l)ack bone and sinew of this eajlh, unite yourselves arid come to 
the front, with bold faces, declaring by the help of God that you 
will rule the world and teai** down the monopoly of the capitalist, 
and bring the grand, tlie noble, the mighty, the proud, the vain, to 
one common level; and to bring the politician, the lawyer, the por- 
tion of doctors (that are quacks and humbugs,) the merchants, and 
the so-called preachers, all to tilling the soil, which |would 
make you a united and happy people as soon as this generation of 
people passes away. Now, when you see this thing as plain as 
twice 2 is 4, will you stand like fools, and let the present control- 
in g power continue their powder right over our plural heads? Or 
will you come to the front at once, declaring that our next repre- 
senative anc> senator will be laboring farmers, and our next member 
to Congress will be a laboring farmer, and that our next Governor 
M'ill be a lab'oring farmer, and that our next President will be a la- 
boring farmer. This is the only way on this earth to keep down an 
aristocratical government, which we have been under for a long 
time, but has had tJie name of a Democratical government, and I 
A\'ould rather be under a monarchal government, than to be un- 
der an aristocratical government — that is where a few of the noble 
rule. Our United States claim a Democratical government. Then 
let us have a Democratical government. I hear the politicians, 
lawyers, merchants and preachers saying, I do not think your gov- 
ernment is much Democratical when you do not want us to have 
any voice in it. Yes, we want you all to have a voice in it by quit- 
ting your unnecessary practice and become to be tillers of the soil. 
We would all be willing to be lawyers- if we could all make an hon- 
est and fat living at it, or we would all be willing to be politicians 
and let the law stand as it is if Ave thouo^ht we could all make a 
living at it, and thought that God would not frown on us for 
our h}'pocracy, or we .would all be willing to be merchants and live 
fat ancf fine if we had anybodj^ to sell goods to. But I never would 
be willing for us all to be so-called preachers, for I believe that 
God would bring the world to an end at once. Now, if we could 
all be such preachers as the Apostles were, I would to God that the 
A>'hole world was j^i'eachers. Then I would feel like we were all 
pleasing God and walking by His direction, and I would be a strong 
believer in a universal happiness. But you all well know that 
we cannot all be rich, for Christ said that we "would have the 
poor akvvays," (and He could not lie.) And you know that we 



HP:LrS TO THIXKIXG. 1-25 

roiild not all be politicians and live. And you know that we 
)ukl not all be lawyers and live. And you know that we could 
not all be doctors. .Vnd you know that we could not all be uiei'- 
ehants (for we would have nobody to sell goods to.) And you 
know that Me could not all be preachers (for tlieir would no body 
to hear the g()S})cl.) T)Ut you know that we could all be tiiiors of 
the soil or other laljor and get our bread by the sweat of our faces, 
as God commanded us to do. 

Well, some people may conclude that I belonged to the oi-ganiz- 
edbody of Alliance, but I do not, nor I do not. know that 1 ever 
will. Though, accordhig to my understanduig of the constitution 
of the Alliance, I am like the Gentiles th.'rt had not the law, they 
done by nature the things c.ontahied in the law, and was a lawu.iito 
themselves — Kom. '2 and 14. So, lam by nature an Alliance, and am 
ail Alliance unto myself, and all I dread hi reference to the poor la- 
borer controling, reigning and i-uUng this government is that the 
Alliance will not stick to me, or rather my principle, Avhich is to 
strickly give the laboring man the whole sovereignty of this gov- 
ernment, for Ghrist says: "Muzzle not the ox that treadeth out the 
^.,ji-ji'' — 1 Cor. 9 and 1). And the laborers that kee]) this govern- 
ment surviving, should rule the government, and those that are 
drones and doeth no work should be treated as the little working 
bee does their drones. They run them off, and- it is said by some, 
that they kill them. I cannot say as to that, but I am not in favor 
of killing the drones, but if they would not work, I would be in fa- 
vor of colonizing them and letting them perish themselves out. 
This looks a little' like a jesture but I mean what I say. Though I 
suppose that there is not another man on the earth that is of my 
oi)inion in full, whilst I feel like that there are multiplied thousands 
of the laboring and considerate class of pedple that are able to see 
the dreadful state of affairs and is beconnng impatient and tired of 
the droning ]jarty or body who has had the sovereignty of this 
government in their hands for a long time. And I pray to God that 
those that have not been able te discover the tyrannical yoke that 
they are now under, will be made to see and understand the condi- 
tion of affairs, and not only to understand the matter, but that they 
be given a resolution and determination to come boldly to the 
front, declaring that they will no longer suffer the drones of this 
government to harness them with their iron clad harness, which has 
been made stronger and tighter every time the executive powers 
has met together for the last forty years or half century. Now, 
I am aware that there are thousands of j^eople that have attached 
Themselves to the body that did it in view of being benefitted rath- 
er than to benefit. If you believe that the droning party that has 
been sucking the honey of the workers so long has not been press- 
ing you, then you ought not have joined the Alliance. But if yea 
believe that they have got a tyrannical yoke on the mass of the 
workers, then you ought have attached yourself to the Alliance 
body to beneiit the people of this government, Avho are supporting 



126 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 

the government. There are hundreds and thousands that are be- 
coming despondent in the matter because they have never been 
benefitted. But you ought to consider that you went into this thing 
in view of benefitttng the government of the laboring people. Yea, 
to prevent our cliildren from being forced into bondage, and you 
ought to stand square to the rack. But I am aware that the most 
of the people has finally discovered that they have been sucked to 
death by the drones of this world; until they are suspicious of drones 
in the Alliance body who are sucking her vitality. And my fellow 
laborer's I know that you have got such among you. I will ask 
the question Avho is an Alliance? I will answer the question, it is 
an industrious, laboring, intelligent, upright farmer, and nobody 
els?. Is a rich farmer, A\iio does not turn his liands to labor, noi' 
raise bis family to labor, an Alliance? He is not. But if 
he is of an industrious and laboring farming family, and up- 
right, he is an Alliance, I care not what his property is. 
Is a politician, though a farmer, an Alliance? He is not. Is a law- 
yer and a farmer, an Alliance? He is not. Is a doctor and a far- 
mer an Alliance? He is not. Is a merchant arul a farmer an Al- 
liance? He is not. Is a mechanic that relies on his trade for his 
support an Alliance? He is not. Is a pi-eacher and a farmer an 
Alliance? He is, if he is not on the gospel horse and if he is on the 
gospel horse he is not an Alliance. li< a produce speculator and a 
farmer an Alliance? He is not, but if he is an upright farmer and 
does not speculate on anything in the way of sustenance, or of a 
living, he is an Alliance. Is a farmer who is a drunkard, an Alli- 
ance? He is not. Is a farmer who will shirk around his debts, an 
Alliance? He is not. Is a farmer who will testify falsely, an Alli- 
ance? He is not. Is a farmer who will tattle in the settlement an 
Alliance? He is not. Is a farmer who is too sided, an Alliance: 
He :s not a good one. Is a farmer who will keep back the truth in 
dealing with his fellow man, and especially his neighbor, an Alli- 
ance? He is not a good one. Is a miller an Alliance? He is. 
Be -ause he prepares the produce for consumption. Xow, accord- 
ing to my natural feelings this is what I understand and believe to be 
a oenuine and true Alliance. A laborino- man who is truthful, solid, 
sobor, study, industrious, one that acts upon principle, in place of 
policy, and upright in all diis practices. No difference what his 
property is, he is an Alliance, and no other man is tit or competant 
t.> represent his country or people in any othce, from a constable up 
to the President of the govei-nment. I pray with an anxious heart 
before God that c\ery man may weigh himself in these or by these 
golden scales and if he is not a geimine or true Alliance that he 
may go to practicing the habits that will make him a genuine and 
"true Alliance, that he may be one at the wheel to roll the 1 iboring 
man into a sovereignty of this government. And I believe that all 
we have to do, is to do like the Israelities, that is to start the right 
way, and Go 1 will open up the way as he opened the red Sea for 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 127 



rJieiii. Su, let us move in faith, havincr no fears, but V)e solid and 
determinate in a good sound prinei^jle that we may please God. 



THK CAUSE OF SETTLKMKXT DISCORn. 



This Ls a sul>jeet tliat has enj^aged a great deal of my time du- 
ring the latter part of my life. It is almost a unanimous thing in 
all settlements, land and countries for pc'Ople to stick to the one that 
they believe i« their be^st personal friend, and one that has stuck t(^ 
them the most, irrespective of principle, that is not considering 
whetlierhe is on the right side, or side of |)rinciple or not, which is 
one of the grandest mistakes that ever any people practiced on this 
earth. It is no difference how much a man has befriended ami 
aided you in your temporal matters. If there comes up a variance 
between him and some neighbor that has not been so kind to you^ 
and really there was a variance between you and that neighbor, we 
should act precisely on principle and not consider favoritism or pei-- 
sonal feelings, though it should be one of tlie warmest friends tliat 
we have, and according to our understanding we see that he is in 
error, we should honestly, fairly, squarely and boldly approach hint 
and tell him of his error, and with good feeling, try to show him of 
ids error, and in ease we should fail, after an honest and candid 
effort, and the variance or contention continues between him and 
the other j)arty,. we should boldly say tliat I am against you, or in 
other words, 1 am against a wrong thing and you are occupying a 
wrong position, hence, I cannot stand with you. And a friend on 
the other side would do likewise, and another, and another, and so on. 
He would inevitablv ijo to thinkinjj seriouslv and calmlv and doubtless 
would see his error and cease contendino: for the Avrona; thinii". 
when, at the same time, if we had carried out what is common 
among neighbors and friends, he would have persisted in liis wrong 
and really entertaining the idea that he was right, for we all well 
know that it is common among neighbors for us to try to keep the 
s^ood side of both parties, and rather intimate to both that 
they are right w^hen we know that we lie for both parties can't l>e 
liglit, nor neither do we look at it in that way, for we understand 
t'lat one of them is wrong, hence, we lie knowingly, and conse- 
.juently, are no better than a horse thief, and I will take God's own 
language to prove it. Xow,tHe says that thou shalt not steal and 
thou shalt not lie. If you will show me where He makes one 
any better than the other, 1 will acknowledge that I am writing a 
lie. Besides we are hypocrites and deceitful, with guile in our 
mouths. Then, when we plainly see and understand a practice 
to I'e wrong, why do w^e not like men anrl christians, turn 
right about and practice the side of principle that is pleasing to 



1-28 HELPS TO TIIIXKIKG, 

<tO(1, wliicli will stand througlioiit eternity and give joy to the soul 
that never (lies-V When I seriously^ calmly and coolly consider our 
impurity, onr deceitfuhiess, our hypocritical and onr two-sidedness^ 
I am made to mourn in the spirit and ask God why it is that ^r<' 
;ire so corru}>t aT>d contrary to thy wilL But then remeinberii^g what 
He said to Paul: '■•-That my grace is sutticient for you" It is not 
for man to know the mysteries of God; but it is for us to know and 
imderstaiid ortr just lawr* and what is right between maii and man. But 
when we know what is just and right between man and man and 
then will not do it, I am at a loss what to sav about that 
man; but it seems to me that he o^ight to be in hell tvrhere it is. 
wrong to do right, and then he could fill the bill, and he would be 
nuiking no discord, but have unity all pulling the same way in har- 
mony with the devil beholding liis smiles. Eveiy man ought to 
lean one side or the other and show where he stands by his work, 
for everything is either right or wrong, and which ever side you 
view to be right that is the side to contend for, and which ever side 
vou view to be wrong that is the side for you to contend against, 
for God loves an earnest worker. For proof He loved Paul and 
Paul persecuting Him because Paul was earnest and doing all lie coul<l 
do. kSo, God loved him and gave him the right understanding anil 
tiien he turned his course right about and immediately worked 
for God which was contrary to h\» former understanding; 1>ut we 
:ire so mean, deceitful, hypocritical and so two-sided, which has beei\ 
cultivated for centuries after centuries, until we are almost substan- 
tuated in the ])eHef that it is right to be deceitful, hypocritical 
and two-sided; but eveiy man that has conmion sense, when he 
takes an honest consideration, well knows that right is right and 
wrong is wrong, and he well knows that hypocracy, deceit- 
fulness and two-sidedness are all vrrong, and every man that has 
half sense will admit this to be a fact, and at the same time, prac- 
ticing these things every day that he lives. Now, why a man will 
admit . a thing to be wrong and dishonorable, and yet practice tlie 
same thing is what gets away with me, and perhaps there is not a 
man in this connnunity nor any other, but what will say that a two- 
sided and hypocritical man is dangerous, and perhaps not one in 
any other comnniuity but wliat is more or less afflicted with that 
disease. Now, I ask what is the matter? It is the ohl nature that 
■vve were born with. I ask what is the remedy? As Paul said to 
Timothy, take a little wine for the stomach's sake and get out of 
that cold water state. Paul meant by that, to take on a little more 
of the spirit of God for the stomach's sake, that was to be more 
zealous in the cause of God. Xow, thg remedy for us is to put hito 
practice a little more soliduess and more earnestness and a little 
more energy in reference to our duty. ^Vnd put into practice a 
little more boldness, and to form a re.^olution and determination to 
do our duty let it offend or please, and that we will never try to 
please man any more except on principle. Xow, if this is not 
the remedy, I do not understand the principles and doctrines of 



HELPS TO THINKING. 1J9 

(liod. And if that is the principles and doctrines of God let us 
not be afraid to put it in practice as it will never pass away. 
I^ractice has a great deal to do with us in all things. Now, a man 
may practice trading and swapping horses until he becomes sub- 
stantuated in the belief that it is right, and finally he may begin to 
Tell what he calls httle chunks of stories, and leaving the truth un- 
told, until he becomes fixed in his mind that there is nothing wrong 
in it, hence, searing his conscience as he goes. We find all classes 
engaged in such. There is a class that is called the bone-yard horse 
swappers, and there is a higher grade of horse swappers and horse 
dealers that deals in a better class of stock, and is able to deal on 
:t larger scale, and, generally, are men of better polish and can pol- 
ish a lie better and fortify better; but just as guilt v as the bone-yard 
man: and we lind many so-called preachers that gets up in the pul- 
l)it and as they call it talk for God and tell the peoi>le how to do 
and how to shun the devil, and, perhaps, the first man he meets 
iianters him for a horse swap hoping to make a few dollars 
in the swap, for we know that he is not expecting to give him a few 
dollars. Then he is proposing to beat his fellow man out of some- 
rliing, at the same time saying that he did not want to make any- 
rliing, which is a knowing lie. So we see the hypocracy deceitful- 
iiess and two-sidedness in all classes of people. We see it in the 
preacher and in ^ high class of people and in the low class of people 
and in all classes of people. So, what makes the difference in us, 
is in accordance to what w^e put into practice. Hence, if we prac- 
tice the truth Ave will like the truth and if we practice solidness we 
will like solidness and if we practice boldness we will like boldness 
and if we practice firmness we will like firmness; and if we practice 
sincerity, we will like sincerity, and if we practice acting upon prin- 
ciple, we will like acting upon principle, and if we practice telling lies 
Ave will like telling lies, and if we practice swindling and cheating, 
we Avill like swindling and cheating and if Ave practice hypocracy, 
we like In^pocracy, and if we practice deceitfulness Ave Avill like de- 
(•eitfulness, and if Ave practice two-sidedness Ave will like two sided- 
ness and if Ave practice being every ones man, w^e Avill like be- 
ing every ones man, and if Ave practice pretentions we will like pre- 
tentions. Hence, just A\'hatever we practice is just Avhat Ave like, 
unless we practice a thing by compulsion, and in cases of compulsion 
no one should be either honored or dishonered, Noav, as I believe 
that I have made it plain and ovious to any intelligent mind that 
the thing we practice is the thing Ave like, I now ask all that are 
convinced of that fact why you do not commence practicing CA'ery- 
thing that is right and opposing CAerthing that is wrong, AA^hich 
would soon make ns lovers of eA^ery practice that Avas good, and, 
in accordance, Avith God and haters of CA-erything that was evil or 
Avrong? Let us now consider a little and see how came the two- 
!sided hA^pocracy, deceitfulness and pretentions of man, so prevalent 
and popular? If it had commenced with some ordinary or Ioav 
traded class of people it aa'ouM not haA^e propogated or spread bu i 



130 HELPS TO TIirXKING. 

very little; but it commenced with the higli grade of people. Fiv^U 
we will notice some nobleman desiring to represent his nation of 
])eople, who has placed himself upon the politician horse w^ith all 
the magniticence and outward appearance that can be made, stump- 
ing the whole country Avith his eloquent deceittul and hypocritical 
speeches, making everybody believe that he is tlieir friend, the rich 
and the poor the idle and the laborer, while it is impossible for him 
to be a friend to all on principle. He is only a politicial friend or 
in other words, a friend for policy, an(i for God's sake let us pot 
forget to notice that word policy! policyl policy! Think about it! — 
tliink about it! — think about it! for it is the worlds ruin to-day, and 
Ace see that same hypocracy practiced and followed up from the 
representative of the nation down to the constables of our town 
ships. 

Xow, let us notice another high-toned class of people, wdio is on 
the hj'pocritical and politician horse, and that is tlie lawyer, who is 
proposing to get his magnificent living without labor, and in order 
to do or accomplish that living he learns to practice deceit and hy- 
oocracy, or in othei- words, he learns to be a policy man and is a 
friend for policy and makes himself social with everybody, and 
claims to be a friend to many that he cares no more for than a wild 
horse, if there was not some probal)ility of getting a little money 
out of him at some future time. Hence, he is expecting to get his 
living by his law ability, his sociability and policy, and his policy is 
to take the case where the most money is, right or Avrong, provide<l. 
he can get it. 

Now, let us notice another high-toned class that has a great deal 
of deception, hypocracy and policy about him, and that is the doc- 
tor, who is pro])osing to get his living without labor, whilst I ad- 
mit a good deal of exposure in the practice, but I supj)ose they are 
like the little boy that said he would rather freeze ri<ling than to 
walk. I suppose thev would rather ride in the cold than to work, 
and especially, when he knows that there is no halter on him. For 
he knows that he can charge his own piices and no man outside 
of a doctor can say whether it is riglit or wrong. So, you see him 
professing friendship when it is only policy, expecting a case at 
«ome future time when he can make from three to twenty dollars 
per day, and many as good men as he is would be glad to get fifty 
cents per day. Xow, I admit that honest doctors are necessary 
and useful in a country, but they ought to have the same halter on 
as a farmer or anybody else. 

We Avill notice another class of people that some are high-toned 
and some are not, but all would love to be, who are hypocritical, de- 
ceitful and policy people, or mostly so, desiring to get their living 
without labor, with a few exceptions, and that is the so-calle<i 
preachers. And amidst the. whole class of people that I have above 
alluded to, I must honestly confess that the mass of the so-called 
preachers are the most deceitful of any class that I have mentioned, 
amon<y the brothers an I sisters, an I, especially among the sisters, 



HELPS TO TIirXKINa KU 

that prepares the fishes, loves and tried chicken. But I know if a 
man would not use deception for something good to eat when he 
was hungry, that there wouhi be no deception it4 him. We very 
often hear them in the pulpit pretending to be very good and bet- 
ter than ordinary men, and some pretending to be holy, when (rod's 
own word teaclies any common-sensed man that no ia.:ui is good. 
Hence, they tell a knowing lie and the devine word says, that all 
Hers shall have their part in the lake that burns with tire and brim- 
jstone. Now, as I admitted on the preceding page, that a good^ 
honest doctor was useful and necessary, but as to the politician, the 
lawyer and preacher, they are a curse to this world of people, ''j'herc 
Mever has been a day from Adam until now but what the politician 
and lawyer was a curse to the honest working people. But in the 
last days God saw it necessary to send a preacher in tlie world and 
He sent Christ to preach, and Christ sent the Apostles to preach 
Mild to write the preached word, and when the inspired Apostles 
passed^away, that ended God's preachers, for none of God's preach- 
t'rs. since the gospel was made known, ever had any hypocrasy^ 
deception ov guile in them, but was supernatural and holy as 
I'hrist Himself, who was the first preacher of the gospel. There- 
fore, all the preachers from the days of the Apostles until now, 
were preachers of the devil, or in other words, just such preachers 
as Paul was before tlie day he was struck down blind on his way to 
Daniascus. For he said, he was earnestly doing the will of God 
from his blind traditional teachers, yet he was persecuting the true 
gospel which now stands written for every man to read in his own 
lani^uaoje. 

Xow, we will notice another class of people that are something like 
preachers. Some of them are the high-toned people, and all of 
them would like to be — they are just as full of hypocrisy, deceit 
and policy as they can^well be, and that is the merchant. Every 
man making himself familiar, social and pleasant, for what purpose? 
Is it because he is a true friend indeed? Or is it for his dollar, that 
lie may accumulate the goods of this world until he can be libera- 
ted from the plow handles, or in other words, that they may not V)e. 
liewers of wood and carries of water*-' We see the merchants in 
all cities, towns, villages, and in the remote parts of the country, 
claiming that they have the best, prettiest and the cheapest goous 
of anybody in their city, town or country. Also, claiming that they 
will wait a little longer and give a little more for produce, and that 
they are really a little cleverer man than anybody else, and will try 
every way to prove that they are cleverer than they are, except at tlie 
table. Whilest there are a^fe w that will open their door and spread their 
tables to prove it, hoping or expecting to ge:; four fold bick. And 
multiplied thousands of merchants are sending out their little puffed 
and stuffed dudes, who have cultivated lictitiousness, in order ihut 
they may adopt themselves to all sorts of crowds (except truthful 
crowds) trying to make themselves pleasant and social, with their 
mouth full of lies. Hence, all of them claiming to represent the 



1H2 HELPS TO THINKING. 

best house in the town, city or State. Therefore, they can sell the 
best and cheapest goo<ls of anybody. Their policy is to sell the 
most goods; (whether they be good oi- shoddy,) in order that they iiiav 
i>et the greatest name and the largest salary of anybody in his tc»Avn, 
*^ity or State. Now, all such ought to be in the plow han<lles, ex- 
< ept "what is entitle<l to the chain-gang. God only knows liow 
many that is. 

I hear one say the writer seems to understand a good deal about 
the foregoing characterh. Some of them I do, from 
experience. 1 thank my (lod that 1 never liave been 

been a lawyer or a preacher, nor never wanted to be one; but to 
my sorrow, 1 have hi former years been a little county prolitician 
:u\d to some extent was a policy ma^i in order to be elected; though 
there was one policy that 1 never fell into, and that was a v/hi^key 
policy which is a comfort to my soul to-day and will be in eternity. 
I once thought 1 would like to be a doctor if I could be : n honest 
one; but if 1 had been an h )nest man when 1 commenced practice 1 
am afraid I would have sojn fallen in line with the most of doctors 
and that is to size a man's pile and take it, especially if he is dead. 
For I own, I am a lover of money. I also, part of my life, have 
been a little one-horse merchant and perhaps n^ould have been a 
six-horse merchant if I had been able, and practiced a great deal of 
policy in order to get a man's trade; but 1 thank God I never did 
know much about how to be two-sided; but in some instances have 
bordered on to it; but when I would think about it I woidd feci s«) 
mean that I coidd see the frowns of God before my eyes, hence, I 
asked God to helj) me to be tirm and act on principle. 

I always had an abhorance to a bone-yard horse swapper, while I 
admit that the gi-eater pait of my life I have been known as horse 
trader even from sheej) up to negroes, and it has been said by some, 
thait I was a very good trader. I suppose that impression was got- 
ten up from my always having reasonable success, for asmalltra<ler 
Now, how this success came about, or the cause of success is the 
thing to notice. I will not deny that 1 used all the strategy and policy 
to purchase everything that 1 bought at the very lowest figures that 
I could possibly get, and 1, likewise, used all the chicanery and pol- 
icy to sell the same at the highest figures I could possibh^ sell for, 
in order that I might get gain and accumulate the goods of tins 
world. Now, right here comes the things to notice. Why did 1, 
and why do others do these things? In the first place, we all liave 
an anxiety to accumulate the goods of this world, (now comes the 
boogger.) In the second place we were raised up in these practices 
and taught by the examples of the great, tlK3 noble, the grand, the 
medium and the low, so far as|theij' ability reached, to practice 
hypocrasy, deceit and policy, hence, .building us up into notice and 
popularity by showing ourselves to be the most successful and j>ros- 
perous man in business, no difforence what the business was. He 
may be a gambler, lie is the biggest one of them. He may be a 
l>eef market man, he is the greatest among them. He may be a 



HELPS TO THINKIKG. 



ih)rse dealer, be is the greatest among them. He may be a tin ped- 
<ller, or an apple hauler, he is the greatest among tliem. He may 
l)e a merchant, he is the greatest among them. He may be a doo- 
■')r, he is the greatest among them. He may be a lawyer, he is the 
greatest among them. He may be a so-called preacher, lie is the 
-reatest among; them. Hence, von see that om* whole teachino- has 
l>een chicanery, strategy and policy for generation after genera- 
tion, which has substantuated us in these evil and ungodly practi- 
ces, which is marching us hell-wardly, as rapidly as the destructive 
cyclone moves her powerful forces North- east war dly. Now, what 
is the remedy and how shall we make a start in the right direction? 
Jn the first place, let us notice the New Testament, and see if Christ 
lias taught anything that will lead us wrong or into any evil,, and if 
we find that it harmonizes with everything that is good and tind 
that it unites us, and find that it leads us Heavenward, and under- 
standing, at the same time, that the Testament is the only book on 
earth that we can Avholly and soley rely on. Now^, I believe what I 
have said in the last ten pages, will satisfy the readers that we liawi 
])een raised up in the way and manner of policy, which makes dS- 
<-()i-ds and crosses among iis, which blots out our confidence in one 
Muother, and finally lead us to a yowning hell, from which there is- 
HO redemption. 

Are you not ready to form a junction with me ill a resolution and 
•letermination that by the help of God we will commence practicing, 
tliat which is upon principle with our neighbors, friends, and with 
all we mav deal w^ith, whether it make friends or enemies: and be 
true to our country, our friends and our neighbors, to our familes, 
and to our God, remembering that God says. "If God is for us 
Avho can be against us? ' I for one am willing to sacrifice every- 
ones friendship that will not be a friend on principle, and principlt3 
alone. I for one am willing to always show myself on one side or 
the other, where there is princii^le involved (now if a variance has. 
l)een gotten up through whiskey on both sides or from any other 
unprincipled thing, then I propose to have nothing to do Avith the 
case), I for one am willing to hold up for everything that is right 
and condemn everything that is Avrong. Now, I ask every . reader 
of this work whatever he understands to be the truth to fall in line, 
not with the writer but with the truth, and w^hatever you understand 
and know to be wrong or false, to fight it until you die. And that 
which you do not know for certain whether it is right or wrong, 1 
ask you to honestly, laying aside all former teaching and prejudice, 
investigate the matter thoroughly and when decided, fall in line 
with the truth and earnestly contend for it, asking God to be your 
helper. 

I will now bring this admonition to a close, believing that everybody 
tliat is seeking the truth will readily admit the foregoing statement to 
be the truth and all that desires to fall in with it will do so, and those 
that do not desire to fall in line with the truth will not do it, though 
there was a whole volume written from under the hand of the 



134 HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 

ScieDtific Spurgeqii or Talniage and polished with all the grand 
language that their ability could handle. 

AN^hen we do not desire to do a thing we will never do it, until 
we see or understand that v/e are oblige to, or do worse, or in other 
words, until we see or understand it is the best for us to do so. If 
we will minutely consider what khid of creatures we are, we will 
very readily see that we are a very strange organized piece of flesh. 
We are always finding fault to our government our country, or our 
neighbors, but never find any fault to ourselves. If everybody in the 
county. State or nation steals we will steal too in order to be with 
the big crowd, or like everybody else, and if everybody dj'inks whis- 
key, we will drink it, to be with the big crowd or like everybody 
else, and if everybody else idles away half or two-thirds of their 
time we will idle away our time, to be like everybody else, and if 
evei'vbodv pretends or makes out to us that thev think a 2:reat deal 
of us we will pretend or make out like we think a good deal of 
them, and if everybody talks about all their neighbors, we will fall 
injjine and talk more or less about some of our neighbors, if not all 
of them, and if evervbodv else tells what one neig-hbor savs about 
another, we will tell some, if not a good deal, too. So you see that 
we are a curious something. Now if we would form this kind of a 
resolution and determination that we would strike a line of principle 
and walk, talk and act upon it, popular or not, stout friends or no 
friends, honored or not honored, live or die, we would then be like 
Enoch walking with God, and pleasing God. I pray by the help 
of God that all us believers in God will fall in on the line of principle 
the balance of our davs. 



A SPECIAL ADDRESS TO THE CHRISTIAX BRETHREN, 
PREACHERS AXD STUDENTS OF DIVINITY. 



You men and brethren of vain tradition, listen and believe. I 
know that I am of the same race and of the same government and 
of the same teaching and full of vanity and lust of this world; and 
in my nature lust after the flesh. I know that all that have been 
born into God's family have received the same spirit of love and 
meekness and humbleness and in 'the name of our Farther who art 
in Heaven let us examine ourselves by the word and it alone. 
Why is it that we are so inclined and disposed to follow off after 
the vain teachings of men rather than the true word of God that 
was written by inspiration of the old grand Apostles that was full 
of the Holy Ghost Avhich was the power of God exhibited in flesh, 
and accompanied with the spirit and love of God the Father which 
will point us all to the Jamb or the saving Christ that is able and 
Willi fig to save us all that feel the need ot a Saviour, for we all 



HELPS TO THINKING. 185 

have been taught of God, and they that hath heard of God and 
learned of God will come to Jesus as a Saviour — John and 45. 
Then, my dear brother and fellow creature, in the name of higrh heaven 
and of ail that is good, have we turned loose the true and inspired 
word of God which points us directly to the lamb that was slain 
for us, and following after the corrupt and iictitious teachers that 
are abroad in the land and country who are following after their 
own gratifications of this world and its pleasure, which has been 
going on so long that we are hardly able to see anything wrong in 
it. Consequently, we have submitted to their teachings, and sup- 
porting them and their families until they themselves are persuaded in 
their own miiids that they are doing the work of God, and that it is 
nothing but our duty to support them, and they believed that they 
were a superior class of people, or rather had a superior qualifica- 
tion to us, and our tradition has taught us that they were superi- 
or to ourselves, therefore, we have been looking up to that class of 
so-called superior teachers and preachers until we have become so 
zealous and earnest in the belief that we do not nor cannot take a 
proper view of the scriptures; consequently, it is leading us in a 
mass down-wardly and hell-wardly, as fast as the wheels of time can 
roll us on. Oh! my dear children of God, I pray with all ray heart 
tiiat you may stop and think and consider the course that we are 
marchinor and vou will be made to see and to know and under- 
stand that our leaders are carrying us on in a way that is not ac^ 
ceptable to God. If we would consider one moment, common 
sense would teach us that God does not propose to get up an ex- 
citement and scare and push and pull people into His kingdom. 
These protracted meetings and camp meetings, that makes so many 
spasmodic christians, that do not last until the next protracted or 
camp meeting, is not worth anything to building up God's kingdom, 
unless some plan was invented to take them away at the time the 
spasm comes on them, and then you would fill up the devil's king- 
dom the fastest. God is cool, plain and deliberate in all His acts, 
talks and requirements, and says what He means and means what 
He says. Then, let us think seriously, calmly and coolly, and con- 
sider the platform that we stand on, for no man nor woman can act 
properly in excitement, that we all know, when we give it a mo- 
ments reflection; but, alas, we are induced or lead ofi by the grand 
and flowery speeches of designed men, that are full of pride and 
vanity, claiming to be a mouth piece for God, when they are at the 
same time a mouth piece for the devil; because all the christian 
thinking people well know that pride and vanity belong entirely to 
the devil; and love, peace, meekness, humbleness, harmoniusness, 
modesty, plainness, and all such things belong to God, and the divine 
word plainly teaches us that all the old Apostolic preachers, 
who were God's mouth pieces, were possessed of all these qualities. 
Then, let ns take their preached word which stands written in plahi 
English language, read, study and pray calmly, honestly and se- 
riously, asking God to give us understanding of His divine preach- 



HELPS TO THINKING. 



ed word. Hence, when we desire divine knowledge let us always 
go to the proper school master, who is God and none other, for He 
is always ready, Avilling and anxious to impart wis'dom and knowl- 
edge to them that seek it, for His preached word says, he turneth 
away none empty, but is liberal to all that seek after understand- 
ing from Him. But my christian friend, right here let lis bear in 
mind that if we want wisdom, and understanding from on high, that 
we must look to no one but God, for none other can teach it since the 
days of the Apostles, whilst w^e see thousands upon thousands pro- 
posing and claiming to be teachers for (xod, or in other words, a 
mouth piece for Him, and at the same time, know that they are full 
of vanity and are carnal minded, and God's word plainly teaches us 
that the vain and carnal mind is always enmity to God. Now, 
my christian friends, let us ask ourselves why it is that we will be 
lead by a people, that God's word plainly tells us is enmity to God. 
Vie see and know that oar brother preacher is as full of vanity and 
as camel minded as any of us. So, that thing alone ought to con- 
vince every common sensed man and Avoman on the earth that God 
has nothing to do Avith an enemy, or with tliat which is always enmi- 
ty to Him. Now, let us reason w^ith ourselves. We will lirst take 
the poorest and the humblest man that We can think of who claims 
to be a mouth piece for God and sift him out well, and we will find 
some selfishness, pride and love of money in him, for he will say I 
do not charge anything for talking for God, but I am poor and needy 
and if you are a mind to give me any money, I will take it, or if 
you will give me a fat hog I will take it, or if you will give me a 
few bushels of, corn or wheat I will take it, or if you will give me a 
fine suit of clotlies I will take it, etc., etc., and we will find a disposi- 
tion of honor in him, for if he thinks there has been a good work 
done in the cause of God, he wants some if hot all of the honor, or 
if it is said that he prayed a good or powerful prayer, or preached a 
big sermon, it puffs him up. No^w, we will take a higher or a little 
more superior grade of preachers, and they will say rather in a 
bold way, I think that men that preaches the gospel should live of 
the gos})el, and I must have twenty-five or fifty dollars for each 
(diurch that I attend, or I nuist have a horse to ride, and you may 
give him the twenty-five or fifty dollars and a horse to ride, and in 
a few years he will say I must have from fifty to one hundred 
dollars to each church, and I must have a buggy to ride in 
and I must have a big umbi'ella or a top buggy, for I can- 
not stand the sun like 1 used to, and the twenty-five or fifty dollars, at 
each church will not keep my famil}^ ijp like it used to, for I have 
to send them to school. So, you see how it is they grow a little 
tenderer than they were, and they grow a little lazifer than they were, 
and they grow a good deal prouder than they were, and nie and 
my family are on the gospel horse and you must feed hinij and in a 
short period of time one horse and buggy will' not take my family, 
I must have a two-horse buggy. So, now you must feed my two 
horses; and, indeed, w^e see some preachers that it takes two horses 



HELPS TO THINKING. l:^>7 

to pull them alone, and plenty of as good peo])le as they are that 
rides in little old one-horse wagons and they drawn by an ox, 
and plenty of as good people that has nothing to ride in nor nothing 
to pull it and at the same time, calling on that class of people to 
teed the two-horse gospel out-fit. Now, 1^3^ Aear christian brothers 
(rod help you to sift out all these things, thoroughly, and see what 
is in it; whether it is of the devil or whether it is of God. Now, 
let us take the most superior class of so-called preachers, and ex- 
amine them awhile. AVe find them bold as a lion, standing before 
the masses of people, and declai-ing that they are the called of God, 
nnd woe unto me if I preach not the gospel, and they that preach 
the gospel, shall live of the gospel, though, I cannot preach for you 
unless I get $500 to 11,000 per year and some $1,500 and some 
•i,000 and some still higher, for we have to stand before grand 
])eople, and we must have fine clothes to help us to preach a big 
sermon, and to help us to make grand appearances, that we can 
have influence with those grand people, and I cannot preach unless 
1 get such a price; for it cost me so much to keep up my buggy an<l 
horses, and it cost me so much to live in the city either to buy city 
]>roperty or rent it, and it cost me so much to ride on the iron horse 
f j-oni city to citv, and it cost me so much to hire mv cookino- and it 
cost me so much to hire ^vashing, and it cost me so much to hii-e a 
nurse, and I have to feed her, also, and my wife's health is not good, 
and I have a heavy expense sending her from springs to springs, and 
traveling about for her health, and it cost me a great deal to- send 
my children to college, for I have to dress them like others or they 
would not be honored. So, you see now what is left when you 
have sifted out this class of preachers. AVhen you exame into your 
>ifter, closely, you will lind nothing but a corruptible nature in it. 
Perhaps you will find satisfaction of this world; perhaps you 
will find a principle of self-honor and greatness; pei'haps you will 
jind a princip^B of superiority; perhaps you will find a principle 
of selfishness; perhaps jou. will find a principle of lusting after 
things of this world; perhaps you Avill find a principle or a de- 
>ive to make their way easy in this world; perhaps you will find 
a principle of scornfulness towards the poor and ignorant class of 
])eople; perhaps you will find a principle of a desire of the wis- 
dom of this world, and, in many cases, you would find a principle or 
a desire to commit adultry; perhaps you. will find in some cases 
secret dram drinkers; perhaps you would find a great deal of 
hard down laziness; perhaps you would find many other evils 
of this world, and one of these evils would be a big portion of de- 
ception, for we will notice right here that a great portion of these 
self feeling superior preachers, will make a great deal of brother 
and sister such a one, when they are about their houses, or theii* 
churches where they are expecting some loves and fishes, and at the 
same time if they were to meet this old fashion or plain brother 
and sister out at a mass meeting, where they found maii}^ of their 
fine feathered birds, of their equals, they would say to the old 



138 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 

brother and sister: Why, how are you brother J>rown, Jones, or 
Smith, how have you been, and how is all? etc., etc. Well I will see 
you again, and awa}' they go, and fall in with some of their equals 
or birds of the same feather, and not wishing to see you any more, 
until they can meet up with you about your church or house, then 
tliey are willing to begone with you and in a deceitful and hypocriti- 
cal way mix and mingle their voices with you. My dear christian 
brethren are these not facts in a great many cases? I answer, -yet^, 
most assurely it is so. Then why do you believe that such people are 
God's mouth pieces and recognize them as such? Xow, let us ask 
ourselves if we are not looking up to this superior class of preachers, 
and working hard ourselves, and working our children hard and 
depriving them of tlie school-room, and many pleasures of this 
world, and bi'inging them uj) in a state of ignorance, and dividing 
the fruits of their labor with tliis higher or superior class of people 
or preachers, wlio think they are called preachers of God. 

My dear brother, come riglit home to thinking and ask yourselves 
if this is right? Ask the preacher of God as he calls himself claim- 
ing to take the Testament for the man of his counsel, where di<l 
you get your .ici'ipture for your superiority, and j^our fine clothes, 
and where did you get your scripture requiring one to be robed 
greater than another, except the i-obe of Christ. Then let us ask 
ourselves why we are not all in one uniform apparel. It would 
lo(^k uniformal, and so harmonious, and so much like the teachings 
of Christ and the Apostles. We see no place in any of the 
Evangelists, or any of the epistles, teaching or advocating the cause 
of towns and cities, or teaching or advocating the fine dress or ap- 
parel. Then why do we fall into lines with such, or advocate such 
])rinciples, when all of Christ's teaching is to the contrary? This, my 
dear brethren, vshould put us to serious thinking, for common sense 
teaches us that it is fashion, style, and pmle, that lead us all in that 
direction, and common sense with the teaching of the Xew Testa- 
ment, teaches us tliat fashion, style, and pride, is all "of the devil. 
Then w^e that think we have been born of the spirit have not yet re- 
pented, or at least we have not brought forth meats, fruits, for 
repentance. Tlien God hel]) us to bring forth meats, fruits, for re- 
pentance, that will be acceptable to God. 

Xow, I want to say a little about how 1 feel towards the preach- 
er. All the preachers that are children of God and cln-istians T 
love them as good as any people who are also christians. (Right here 
I will siy that tliere has been thousands of people that think th^y 
have been born into God's family who are not christians, because 
none are christians except they take the footsteps of Christ, for the 
word christian is derived from Christ which is to be Christ-like. So, 
I und(M-stand that many of God's children are walking in disobedi- 
ence and believing that they are doing the wdl of God, even as 
Paul did. So, my dear childi-en of God, T admonish you to be\Vare 
and try yourselves by the word of Christ,) for preachers Avho are 
God's 'children are all honest, and they desire to do the will of God, 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 13Jl 

and maii}^ of tliem honestly believe that there is not a drop of tra- 
dition about thorn, and at the same time they are as full of it as an 
tirg is of matter. This is from the fact that they were rocked in 
the same cradle tliat their fathers were. Yea, the same cradle that 
their grand-fathers were rocked in, and nianv of us soon fall into 
line witli tliose with whom we associate. So, it has been a belief 
and practice for ages that people have a special call to administer 
'God's spirit, and after they have been born of the spirit they feel 
an impression to work for the cause of Christ, and feel a responsi- 
l>ility resting on tliem which every child of God feels if he is a child 
indeed. So, when I see a preacher that seems to show a desire and 
zealousness and earnestness in the cause of God where there is no 
money or earthly reward expected, I love him, because I see the 
fruit of (rod abounding in him; but where the money or earthly re- 
ward seems to be the magnetic power or any part of it, I then see 
no evidence or fruit of liis being one of God's preachers, for Christ 
[tiainly says: "That the liireland careth not for the sheep but the 
hire, and when the wolf or. the devil cometh the hireland fleeth and 
the devil catcheth them." So, I cannot say that I love the hired 
[»reacher because God does not love theny that will let the dev- 
il catch his sheep when the money stops. So, my brother preacher, 
try yourselves by this rule, and if jon are one that will give your 
life for the sheej), I love you, for Christ and the Apostles, who 
were God's preachers, gave their life for the sheep. Now, my 
brother preacher, if you cannot stand by God's rule, money or 
no money, and willingly give your life f6r your sheep, I ask you 
in the name of God to get off of the preacher's platform, or the 
gospel horse, and walk side by side with us imperfect children, who 
are taking Christ's own preached word for the man of our counsel, 
and trusting in Christ, viz: for the redemption of our bodies, and 
desiring to be organized in a christian organization, trying to ad- 
monish one another and bear with one another's faults and praying 
God's help. 

Some preachers say a great deal about sound doctrine; and one 
Mill say that another one does not preach sound doctrine. I ask 
one and all of you, where do you get your doctrine? Do you not 
get it from the Testament? And has any of you got any other 
])lace to get doctrine? I answer no, you have not, if you take the 
doctrines of Christ. But if you take the doctrines of men you have 
many places to get your doctrine, and, consequently, you will have 
many dift'erent doctrines, as we see it is now the case, and every 
doctrine that is taught, but the doctrine of Christ, is rotten and 
false, but really there is but one doctrine that has been 
tauglit b}^ Christ Himself and stands written in the English 
language, so that a way-faring man, thouo-h a fool, cannot err there- 
in. Every man that can read the English language under- 
stands it alike, if he is clear of traditional ideas, which are abroad 
in the land and country, and at the same time we all feel clear of 
it, and are not aware that it is a blinding us every day that we live. 



1 40 HELPS TO THINKING. 

and leading us further and further into darkness, and the so-calle<l 
ureat and leading men, who claim to be preachers for God, are the 
fullest of tradition and the worst blinded of any men on earth, and I 
feel in my heart that the sins of the more unlearned and ignorant 
are resting upon these great blind leaders; but when the blind lead 
t\e blind, I feel like that the blind leader will fall in the bottom of 
the pit. 

Now, in reference to how the family -of (^od should move on: 
To be christians they, of coui-se, should take the footsteps of Chiist 
and organize themselves into christian bodies and appoint one of 
the best christian walking men as a Bishop to look over the 
church and administer baptism, etc. Also, should appoint your 
deacons, etc. Then, if all of that christian oVganized body would 
be true, zealous and earnest workers in the cause of Christ, and 
every true christian would be pressing forward towards the mark of 
the high calhng, and Paul said often to his different cliurches, for the 
brethren to exhoi't one another, and admonish one another, and 
bear with one another, and pray with and for one another, and by so 
doing it would teach and induce those without to believe, that they 
liad a grand place of rest in contemplation, and would cause them 
to look into o# examine their case. But I hear one say, I think you 
would liave very small churches and but few of them. That, perhaps, 
would be so, but what was in the churches would be God's genu- 
ine followers, and there would be none of these spasmodic chris- 
tians, nor none of these self-made christians, that come in by the 
doctrines of men which are numerous. If the true and genuine 
love of God, does not prompt a man to be a worker in God's cause, 
all His works are of the devil and he is a bastard and not a child of 
(jod. They that are blind ai-e in their own estimation orrowinsrverv 
rapidly into wisdom, but their wisdom consists of the greatness of this 
world, and Christ says that the wisdom of this world, is foolishness 
with God. They are now being many devine schools scattered 
about over this United States, and thousands of students attending 
them, claiming to study divinity, and spending millions of money m 
that direction, seeking to be great men in Godly things, and be- 
lieving that their money will rear them to the knowledge of divine 
things, but, most assuredl}- the}^ will come out like old Simon, the 
sorcerer, when he proposed to buy tlie power of giving the Holy 
Ghost, but Simon Peter told him that he and his money would l^oth 
perish, for .he was yet in the bonds of iniquity and gall of bitter- 
ness; and at the same time, Simon, the sorcerer, had believed on 
■ Phillip and been baptized — Acts, 8. So manj^ of us has believed 
and been baptised, but we have believed on the acts of great men, 
consequently,, yet in the gall of bitterness, and will perish witli 
our money. 

I now appeal to you that have been going to divine schools, study- 
ing divinity, or theology, allow me to say in my feelings, oh 
fools, who are you expecting to get your divine knowledge from? 
Is it from God, or is it from great and learned men? 



HELPS TO TinXKING. 141 

It' it is from great men, God pity you I say. It' it is 
tVom God that you expect your divine knowledge, then I 
vay Amen to that, and })ray that you will take your lessons from 
wod in the silent grove, or closet, but if you tliink you can realize 
livine knowledge from any of those great divinists or theologians, 
that have D. D. stuck to their names, then go on your way, and I am 
sure you will fall into the pit with youi- blind leader. Though yc)U 
may go on in this world, and rear yourself to a high pinacle of fame 
and honor, though you may go to your theological schools uutil 
you can annex to your name the letters D. D., which is said to 
■-tand for Doctor of Divinity; but T believe in many cases it should 
stand for Devilsh Designs, for I well know that many who wear tlie 
letters D. D. amiexed to their names are as vain in their 
imaginations as vanity can make them. Then, if vanity is not 
>in and sin is not of the devil, and the devil has not devilish de- 
signs, I have understood my Testament wrong, and I pray (4od tliat 
if I have understood it wrong, that I may j-ead it again and get the 
light understanding, and if I have got the right understanding, then 
my dear brothers, who are in the divine schools, you have got the 
wrong understanding tln-ough tradition, or else 3'ou have never 
been born into God's family and you had better look into your 
<ase again and see what kind of a platform you are standing on, 
whether it is God's platform or great men's platform. If you are 
a child of God and yet through tradition, standing on men's plat- 
form, you had better repent and do the iirst works — Kev. 2 and 5, 
which you have never done and that is to get on God's platform 
and take Christ's footsteps. AVe should remember that great men's 
])latforms or foundations arie sandy and will not stand the storms of 
the beating rains; but God's platform or foundation is a rock an-l 
will stand the beating rains and save us thi'oughout eternity. 

Xow, you brethren that are seeking a high position, and to be 
some great one, I will ask you one question: Are you seeking a 
liigh position with God, and to be a great one with Him, or is your 
aim to seek a high position with men and to be a great one among 
them? If your aim is to get a high seat and be honored with 
God, then humble yourself and take a low seat here — Math. 23 and 
12, and not stand up in your grandeur and4each others to be hum- 
ble, but take the same counsel yourself. I ask, AA'here is the man 
that has been reared up in easy and high life, or even that has been 
l>rought up in poverty, and been carried on up into those high 
schools, and then to those so-called divine or theological schools, 
and then humbles or abases himself with the poor or laboring class, 
who are the back bone of the world? And on which the whole 
universe moves and lives, and on which the flowery beds of ease 
are built and on which the vain, proud, the haughty, the grand, the no- 
ble, the great, the self esteemed and lazy, are all riding with ease, 
comfort and splendor? 

I will say a little more to those that are students or contemplate 
being students in the divine or theological schools. Fn-st, ask your- 



14-2 HELPS TO TIIT^TKIK'G. 

selves what kind of lano-uage God's divine word is written in? If 
it is written in the Englisli language, then go to school to some 
good English school teacher until you understand the English lan- 
guage, then if you want to study divinity or theology, then go to 
school to God the balance of your life — study 3'our lessons on your 
beds, and as you are walking, riding, sitting about, an d as you are 
between the plow handles, if you condescend to walk there, aiid 
when vou are hewing wood, if you cohdesend to do so, and when 
carrying of water, and, indeed, in every advocation of life, praying 
toCxod to unravel His word and to give you wisdom, to that extent 
that seemetli good to Him: but that petition to Him would be of no 
avail, if you had any object in view to redound to your greatness 
among men. To get divine knowledge from God a man must lose 
all sight of making liimself popular among men, but have an eve 
single to the cause and interest of God. So, you should examine 
yourselves closely by these lules and see where your mind and ih- 
tert^st runs, whether for your ])opularity here among people, or 
Avhether to be popular with God. If it is alone for the love and 
interest you have in God you belong to the family of God, and if it 
is to be popidar and to be honored among men you belong to the 
family- of the devil. 



lllE GOVEUX.AIEXT OF FAMILIES, OK Din^r OF WIFE 

TO HUSILVM). 



Tlie subject (^f family government lias been resting on mj- mind 
f(»)' a great many yeai-s, and having studied in a practical way a 
great deal of human nature, and at the same time, having had a 
very extensive acquaintance of our home race of people, and hav- 
ing meandered in a long and extensive travel over the Southern 
States of America, and in my avocations of life it has been necessary 
for me to become acquainted with all classes of people, both male 
ari'l female, and with the*old and the young, and, especially chil- 
dren. Having trietl to teach school several years of my young life, 
and when I was teaching I took this consideration, that it was nec- 
essary first to study or learn the child's disposition, and then I 
knew how to govern it, and it was aTi easy matter to tell whether 
t.'ie child was governed at home or not. If it was governed at 
h.ome it Avas an edsy matter togovei-n it at s"bhool, and finding out 
tliR" when I was yovnig, I, of cours;, formed an attachment to good 
fannly government. And there never was any good government 
(;n this earth in any family or any organized body of people where 
there was more than one head or ruler, "for a house divided 
jigninst itself cannot stand" — Math. 1'2 and 25, 26. And Luke 11 
and 17. Or, in other words' it is no government if more^than one 



nv:hv^ TO TirixKixi;. un 

riil's ill oiii' organized body, nor neitlier can any family or organiz- 
ed body ol)ey two masters, for tliey would hate the one and love 
tiie other — ]\Iath. G and ii4, or des])i>5e the one and cleave to the 
either. Where the whole house or organized body is subject to one 
ruler, master or (4overner, there is no disturbance in that house or 
body, or in oilier words, how could there be any trouble or disturbance? 
'I'he ruler or (-loverner could tind no fault to any one in the house 
• r body if all were subject and obeyed him in all things. I ask tlu- 
]»eople at large, how many houses, comparitively speaking, taking 
the wliole mass of j^eople, are at [>erfect peace, l-ove and harmony 
:\t homey Having formed an extensive acquaintance throughout 
the Southern States, I am able to aiiswer, not one in ten but wliat 
have jar.s or crosses, and from that to quarrels and fights, and that 
to seprations, then as it were, wives, husbands and children all in hell 
hc^v on this earth, "walking about in dry ])laces, seeking rest and 
•inding none, and in some cases they will meet back in the house 
tliey went out of with seven more wicked devils with them, and 
their last state is worse than the first" — Luke 11 and "20. Now, on 
tlie othei* hand let every w*ife and child obey the husband and fath- 
er in everything, or, in other words, be subject, in CA'erything and 
at all times. Every common sensed jjerson in the land and coun- 
try is able to see or understand that there would be happiness, joy, 
quietude, pleasure, peace, love, harmony and one sweet union 
abounding throughout the whole family v.ith the . blessedness of 
<Tod resting on them all. The husband is commanded to love his 
Mif>? as Christ loved the church, and He loved the church so well 
tliat He gave His own life foi* it, for the church which was the 
Apostles, or, in other words, it was the whole believing family of God 
and all of God's spirits is subject to Him and obey Him and where 
«.)bedience is, love abounds and if love abound all is well and happy 
and if strife disagreeance, crossness, contrariness, exist, all is unhap- 
py, besides these things always produce hatred and malice which 
will bring about a life-time discord and unhappiness. In my travels 
I h.ave had interviews on this subject with a great many ladies an<l 
it is very seldom that T ever meet up with a lady that will agree 
with me on perfect obedience to the husband. Occasionally I meet 
up with a good christian lady that has taken the pr,o})er and scri])- 
tural view of the matter; biit in most cases, I hear them say I am 
]»erfcctly willing to obey my husband when he is right, but when 
he is wrong, I am not willing to obey him. Well, then T say to her 
yon are the head and you propose to know what his duty is and 
M'hen he is dohig right and of course that makes you the head of 
the family, or the judge of what is right in the family. AVtdl, one 
says I have a cross man and sometimes he gets drunk, tears u}> 
things generally, and you say obey such a man as that? Yes, I say 
ul)ey such a man a^ that, or leave him one of the two for you know 
to cross him would only add fuel to fire, and if you cannot whi]> 
him and make him mind or do better, you had better obey him and 
try to please him if you want to a])pease him or his wroth. There 



144 HELPS TO THINKING. 

is only two ways to govern everything and one is to force anything, 
and the other way is by kindness and persuasion, oi-, in other 
words, everything is goverened by love or feir. Now, these arc 
facts undeniable; then I say to all wives if yon are aware that yon 
cannot whip or subjugate your husband you had better govern him 
by obedience which will be by kindness that will bring about 
more love which conquei"s the most stubborn heart; and, more than 
that, God made it the duty of the woman or wife at the beginning 
to be subject to the husband or be ruled by him — Gen. 8 and li), 
which was taught and practiced all through the Mosaical law, and 
the Testament teaches it in everv instance, viz. Ephe. 5 and "22, 
24. Col. 3 and 18. And Heb. 18 and 17. And 1 Pet, 8 and 5, 
(). And 1 Cor. 14 and 84, 8. And Titus 2 and 4, 5. And you will 
also notice what Solomon savs about a brawlino- woman which is in 
Proverbs 21 and 9, and you will notice in the beginning there was 
no distinction with xVdam and Eve as to which should rule — they 
seemed to both be equal, or rather it seemed like that Eve had or 
<lid use some power or inliuence over Adam, and by so doing 
brought the whole v\damic family under a curse which stands over 
us to-day and will until the end of time. So God seeing that Eve 
was the weaker vessel and. was not competent to rule, lie told her 
she should be ruled by Adam whit'sh is God's instructions down to 
the present day, and we see a similar mistake with old Job's a\ ife. 
She being weak, or in other words, did not have the understanding 
of Job, told him she would curse God and die; but Job told her she 
did not know what she was talking about. So, it seemed like he 
was more solid than Adam, or at any rate, she could not lead him 
wrong. And we ^\'ill notice another similar case which took place 
with Lot and his wife. The connnand was given them to not look 
back while Lot carried out the command. Xlis wife could not do 
it, or at least did not. 1 suppose her weakness was so great that 
she could not carry out the command. Perhaps her love was great- 
er for her children that she was leaving behind, for it seemed to 
me that the female sex has greater sympathy than the male sex and 
less ability to govern themselves. So, as we see that is the case all 
along from Adam down to the present day, it ought to be reconciling to 
the female to take for themselves a protector and leader, and if they 
think it best at any time of their life to take a protectoi- and head 
jjiece, they ought to first get their consent to be rided or govern- 
ed by him, let him be good or bad. If you chance to get a good 
man, that is your luck and if you chance to get a bad man that is 
your misfortune, and, therefore, be content with it, and by showing 
contentment and being obedient and kind to him you can make a 
pretty good husband out of a right sorry man; but, if you cannot 
make as good husband as some body else has got, be content for 
that is your lot. I feel persuaded in my mind that this ought to be 
sufficient for all christian wives, for all christians claim the word of 
(Tod for the man of their counsel, and I have pointed you out the 
scriptures to read for yourselves. If all wives would take the com- 



HELPS TO THIXKING. 145 

inon sense view of matters and surroundings and read the scriptui-es 
:ind study and pray to (.Tod to help theru to be willing to obey the 
ordinance that God has laid down for them to go by. 

Now, in speaking to them that are not christians, I cannot exp<.'ct 
them to look at it in the same way that a christian does, because a 
sinner or unbeliever has not got the same lianiess on, tliat a christ- 
ian has, for the unbeliever look at the matter in the way of justice 
or I'ight and really on their own judgement as to what is right, while 
the christian wife understands that she is to deny herself and obey 
the command of God whether it suits her feelings and nature, or 
7iot, for she understands that the word of God teaches her to be 
subject to the powers that be over her, let them be good or bad, 
for Peter said to servants to be subject to your masters whether 
thev be grood or bad — 1 Peter '2 and 18, and Paul said to be sub- 
ject to principalities and powers that be over us — Titus 3 and l;1jut 
the unbeliever should take a common sense view of her situation 
and they should consider their solemn vow that they made 
before God and man at the time of wedding herself to her hus- 
band; but there are very few that ever think of tlieir promise any 
more, an<l in these days it has become very fashionable for 
first one to boss and then the other and very often the wife bosses all 
the time; and, sometime, neither can boss, because the wife will not be 
bossed, and she honestly thinks it is right not to be subject to her 
husband because it has been common for her neighbors or part of 
them to get along in that way and perhaps her mother never ad- 
visSl her in any way, and if at all she may have told her to do as 
she pleased and not let her man impose on her and if he did 
not treat her right foi* her to come back home. But they that give 
such advise are not iit to raise children, and I pray God to pity 
them. I have partly raised a large fannly and mostly girls and as 
everybody will say I love my children and we could not do otlier- 
Avise because JGod o-ive us that nature or created us so in Adam. 
I have some girls married and I told them when they married if 
they did not expect to obey their men and be governed by them 
that they had better not marry and I continue to tell them to be 
kind to tlieir husbands and obey them in all things, no difference 
how wronsi: it mav be, if vou cannot in a kind wav reaspn them 
out of it. If he steals horses or murders a man and lies in the 
woods carry him food, if he wants you to, or quit him; but in a 
kind way try to win him from his wrongs, or if he is drunken be 
kind to him wdien drunk and kind to him when sober; but with all 
the loving and kind words that you can use, persuades him to turn 
his course and do better. Tell him kindly when he is sober that he 
ouglit to think of the example that he is laying before his family 
and tell him he ouo-ht to think of vour feelino-s; but sav to him vou 
are mine and I will serve you drunk or sober right or wrong, and I 
will do what you say do if I die by it; but I pray to God that you 
will reform and make a o'ood citizen — a ^ood father and a oood 
husband, and though he may still be angry and even curse you. 



146 HELPS TO TIIIXKTXG. 

still be patient nnd kind to liiiii until you bring about a reformation; 
for if such treatment and conduct as that will not sooner or later 
I'eform him, he is not worth roc^m in hell, though that will be 
his portion when he leaves this world. 

M.y dear readers this may look a little hard or one-sided to some 
of you; but they are imfallible trutli's, and for the love and interest 
I have in the people at large, T pray God to help you all to con- 
sider and weigh these truths, and while weighing and considering 
them be sure and exercise common sense in the matte]'. Now, T ani 
only a poor infallible man, but having read God's word with a 
})rayerful heart and for forty years have been observing human 
nature \evY closely and from general observation, I have been made 
to see the grand mistake of nearly everybody in i-eferance to ha])pi- 
nes^ at home, and whilst I am accountal)le for what I say I know 
as well as I am living that this present woi-ld would be compara- 
' tively a happy world if every wife would, observe tlie foregoing 
counsel that is sul)stanuated by the scriptures that is pointed oiit. 
It would make love, peace, harmony, comfort and joy, with the 
])oorest of families in their little cottfiges, and their little childi-en 
^s'<>uid not become acquainted with strifes, contentions, bitterness 
and envey; they would see nothing of that kind, consequently, they 
would know nothhig of the sort, and not only the poorest would be 
liappy with all these blessings, but the medium class would have 
love, }>eace, harmony, joy and })ros])erity, aboiinding in their fam- 
ilies. There would be that sweet union and liai)pincss that would be 
consoling to campanions and coiisoling to the children, and, m a 
Arord, would all be prospei'ous and hap))y, and not only the poorest 
and the mediu7ii would be bettered, but the rich that have been 
blessed with the goods of this world would be happiei", for all the 
beauties, grandeurs, ctmiforts and magnificent residence woiild 
not make happiness without love, peace and obedience athome, aiid 
no inan has love, harmony and peace in his soul willifa disobedient 
autl cross wife, neither is it ])e:ice and happiness to her to be dis,)-- 
I'cdient. Nov.', if by an obedient and subjected wife, produces hap- 
piness and pleasure aniong the poorest peojde, it will make the 
same blessing among the common or medium class, and if it makes 
happiness with the poorest and the connnon, it is still that much 
7ii()rc necessary that the rich man's wife should be subject and 
ol>edient, as thei'e seemingly, would be no other discord for where 
plenty abounds j)eace reconciliation, and love ought to abound and will 
abound if that obedient wife dwells there and if the wife is obedient, 
it is. a natural consequence for tlie children to be likewise, and, con- 
sequently, there would be a peaceful and happy mansion. Then if 
the ])oorest and the medium and the rich all have peace and pleas- 
ure at home, the wh.ole surroundhig country, yealthe whole world 
v.ould have o7ie sweet union, which would make life pleasant to 
everybody, outside of sickness; hence, we would be a more prosper- 
ous peo})le tinancially and also, religiously, and if there should l)e 
one of a cantrarv an I cross nature, thcv woul 1 l)e constrained to 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 147 

their duty and try to live like their good iieig'libor.s and friends in 
the surrounding country; lience, I emphatically say, without fear of 
successful conti-adiction, that love, peace, harniony, hajipiness and 
the sweet union and the prosperity of this world hinges right on 
tlie obedience and perfect subjection of the wives to tlieir husbands. 
AVhilst I am aware that many of my female reader?^ will unconsid- 
eraiely and without Godly tliinking say that the writer is some big- 
oted old fool that thinks that a woiuan ought to be a negro or slave 
':\)V a man; but my dear lady, wlioevcr you are, that is a sad mistake, 
!or i liave as I befor** said, raised three giids to make wives, ani> 
'oui- more partly raised that may be wives some day and I desire 
thiU they may all have as easy and happy a life as is reasonal)le and 
I'ight for them to have, and 1 never expect any of them t(j have an 
c-asy aiid happy life by being disobedience and cross to their husbands 
but would expect to the contrary. I would expect hard times, dis- 
))Jeasure and vexation, or in other woj'ds, a hell at home; conse- 
• jueJitly, 1 always counsel my girls when they go to marry to be 
>ul»ject and obedient to their husl>ands in all things whatever and 
not contrary them in anything. I tell them if they do not aim to 
be subject to their ^vill to stay with me, and I furthermore tell 
theiii if they want a good husband to l)e sure and be a good wife, 
and this will ever be my counsel to my girls when they go to marry 
and ijideed it is still my counsel to those that are married for this 
is the counsel of God, and 1 am always in favor of taking God's 
counsel in place of man's, and besides tliis it is the best policy to 
Ijave love and peace at home, and without love and peace 
at iiome, a man is in hell let him be at home or away 
fj-om home. It has been my lot to many two wives, and 
succeeded in living with one until God sawproi)erto take her home 
:ind I have succeeded in living with the other over six years, both 
of whom J got along with as well as is customary in our land and 
country, but not without some rangles and crosses, and I am of the 
o[)inion that they were both as good women as there were in the 
country, but according to my theory, I have still left an impression 
that there was a fault in them, but they came by it honestly foi- 
the tradition of the whole United States teaches every woman, old 
and young, that she has equal freedom to her husband and she 
vshouid do as she pleases, and do what she pleases, and go when she 
pleases, and come when she ))leases, and talk as she pleases, and if 
she has property give it to her man if she pleases, and if she does 
not want to give it to her husband to keep it herself, and that her 
and her husband are not one; for God told a lie and He did not 
knovv^ what sorry men that some women would get. The devil 
talked that way to Eve, and the devil accompanied by great men 
who are our leaders and laAV makers talk that way now. After 
God plainly said that husband and Avife was one flesh and that the 
woman should be ruled by her husband and obey him in every- 
thing; and God was the head of Christ and Christ the head of the 
church and man the head the of woman— 1 Cor. 11 and 3. And still 



us HELPS TO THINKIXG. 

to-day the vain men who are our law-makers, leaders and counsel- 
ors, \v ill stand up and say indirectly tliat God lied and did not 
know what sorry nien would be by and bv, and did not know what 
sorry husbands some of the women would g^t and that they under- 
stand human nature better than God. ITence, by such hellish teach- 
ing: that vain and hellish men have been teachuio; for centuries, has 
gotten the whole Ignited States, marching in one body puffed u}> 
hell-wardly and without a repentance will land there as soon as the 
Avheels of time can land us there, (^od help ns all to Aveigh these 
tlnno-s bv His word and turn to His teachinix and let the teachino- of 
the vain men perish with them. Now, right here, I want to say to 
the married and unmarried ladies, a few words, in referance to <he 
object they have, or have had in marrying. Some will say I mar- 
ried because I was getting a pretty man; some will say 1 married 
because I loved my man; some will say I married because I couM 
marry rich; some would say that I married because it was in tlu>^ 
fashion to marry, and some will sav I married to oet a liome or a 
better home, etc. etc., but I boldly say, that any woman that ever 
married a man that she did not love enough and have confidence 
enough in him to trust herself and all her business and all she pos- 
sessed in his care and })rotection was a fool, and did not know what 
she was marrying for. If she does not think inore of her compan- 
ion than anybody else, she is not a wife; but a woman in a wife's 
pla'ce, whilst there are thousands to-day that are occupying that 
ground. God pity them for they are not happy in this world an<l 
are not veiy likely to be happy in the next, and if she loves him 
better than anyone else, then she has more confidence in him than, 
any one else and if that is the case slifi has no secrets to keep from 
him, but will ti'ust herself, her interest, her character and all she 
has in this world in his care; and if he makes a mistake in his finan- 
cial undertakino-, or makes a mistake in his walk and ijoes. under in 
the estimation of the peo})le, she goes under with him, and if he 
suffers, she suffers, and if he prospei-s she prospers and they are 
one, in adversity and in prosperity. Let the case be as it may they 
are side by side. 

Now, this is a subject that will require a great deal of reasoning 
with the present generation of people, for the custoni, or in c»ther 
■words, the fashion, manners, styles and habits, are so different or 
contrary to the original teachings of God which was kept up 
through the Mosaical law, it is hard to bring one to a consideration 
of reasoning, Now, God knew what was right and what would 
prove happy to households; hence, He told Adam and Eve who 
should rule and then told Moses in delivering the law, and that was 
neA er changed by man for divinity made the law the same, and di- 
vinity changed the law at the appointed time, but He never chang- 
ed that part of it, and it never was changed until poor corruptible 
man changed it, and if it had been changed by God fearing men 
tliat Avould have done, for they Avould have been afraid to have 
changed the law from God's instructions or command; but alas, it is 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 140 

cliaiiox'd, and wlio did it, and liow was it done? It has been gradu- 
ally done by the proud, the great, the noble, the vain and rotten 
liearted men who were led by the devil at his will. This thing has 
moved on by degrees, the first move being made by some of <'ur 
ancestors who were thought to be great men, by the men ot tiiat 
day, and then others followed at a later date who were also thought 
to be great men because they were polished with apparent wealth 
which enabled them to wear fine apparrel and qualify themselves 
with eloquent speech and language, so as to beautify and polish 
their position, makhig tlie people believe that they M'cre good men, 
hence, they would vote for them to re})resent their country, and ^t 
the same time, man}'' of them being baidvrupt; consequently, desir- 
ing to make women free dealers that they might stand behind tiie 
women's clothes, and still ride the high lioi'se in their hellish lazi- 
ness, and living in pomp and splendor, and perhaps owing some 
good, honest, liard working man, and, at the same time, cannot re- 
rover one cent out of him, from the fact he is standing behind his 
wife's clothes and these laboring and lionest men abusing the law 
and at the same time they helped to make it, by voting for these 
rotten hearted scoimdrels. Oh, my honest laboring men, let us 
watch as well as pray. So that wears along until so many of the 
grand and noble fall in and take shelter under it and then com- 
mence advocating it in a gentle and reansonable way with such 
beautiful and polised language until it becomes to be not much 
wrong about it, so we swallow it down and say no more about it, 
and continue to send these thieviesh scoundrels, to represent us; 
and thousands of others, (seeing that it is an easy birth and a pleas- 
ant way of living, fallaing in with them, until the mass of our 
leading men are nothing but a band of robbing scoundrels, a rob- 
bing the jDOor fool laboring man out of his earnings, and yet we 
poor fools will v^ote for this class of j^eople and send them to repre- 
sent us, consequently, the majority of our law makers, are men that 
have crawled out of the plow handles or have not been in them. 
So, after the bankrupt law, cloaked by the free dealing woman, has 
become to look all right, then they extend the thing a little further 
and say that a woman shall control her own property that she had 
Avhen she married, no difference how many just debts her husband 
makes, and no difference if it is for bread and clothing, she (being 
clothed w^ith authority by the corrupt law maker); very readly will 
say you cannot take my property — this land, horse, or cow, came 
by me and you cannot take it — my property does net belong to my 
husband, and I shall do as I please with it, and I will do the will of 
my husband when it suits me, and when he does not do as I think 
he ought to, I will do as I please, hence, you see that the law clothes 
her with the authority to do as she pleases with the property, and 
fashion and custom has clothed her with authority to do as she 
pleases irrespective of her husbands will, therefore, she is honest in 
her opinion for she sees that the law justifies her, and she sees that 
the custom of the country justifies her, hence she believes it is 



loO HELPS TO THINKING. 

riglit, for she reinembers that her mother did as she pleased with 
he]- pi-operty and obeyed her husband wlien it suited her to do so, 
and we all well know that it is natural for a person to think what 
father and mother does is right — hence, the present generation of 
women are not able to see anything wrong hi it, for it has been 
going on for ages and anything that is -wi'ong or evil alvrays grows 
very speedily; and when a thing has become deep-rooted and sturdv 
it is hard to move, and ordinarily requires a good deal of time, and 
that is tlie condition of tliis subject. It requires patience, Consid- 
eration and nitelligence, to understand and com])rehend that the 
ra^ss of people of this day and time are standing in error of their 
own A\'ays, which has been growing on us for ages, increasing our 
dissatisfaction and bringing more and more troubk^ upon ourselves, 
mv.l laying examples befoi'e our children, that has proved ^o be a 
cui'se to ourselves and children, and will be as long as life lasts, un- 
less there is enough good honest intelligent considerate and re- 
ligious thinking women to take rig-ht hold of the divine teaching of 
God, regardless of tlie modern manism teachings, subjecting them- 
selves "to their own husbands, laying examples to tlie rising genera- 
tion — bruighig about unity, peace and love in their own families 
and laying a platform of unity and love tliat will be ever remember- 
ed by the father mIio art in Heaven. Now, when the above nam- 
ed considerate, intelligent and Godly women have read and ponder- 
ed over these thoughts, and weighhig them up with the foregoing 
passages of the divine scri})tures tliat I have pointed out, 
I imagine I heai* many say by the help of God I will endeavor 
t ) fall right in line with God's teachings, hence, will contend for 
that line as long as God lets me live. Yea, it seems to me that 
a way-faring woman, though a fool could not err therein. Conse- 
quently, it looks like that there would be a union of thought and 
])ractice in their indispensible and necessary duty that now involves 
upon the whole Adamic race of people, hence, making a unity of 
love and peace with the multij)lied millions of .Vdams race tint is 
now almost in a universal coid'usion and vexation being in torment, 
hence, making multiplied thousands coinmit suicide, and for proof 
that it is a discord with the wife, there is not one case in fifty of 
suicides but what is a married person, and if the intention had not 
been to have added joy and peace to the soul of man by marrying, 
(rod foreseeing and knowing all things, would not have instituted mar- 
riage, and every man and woman would have been a sovereign to 
themselves, therefore, there would have been no suicide cases. -Now, 
there isnot a common-sensed m;in or woman in the United States 
not even a ten year old child wlio reads history and papers, but 
Avhat can understand that there are fifty per cent more cases of su- 
icides now than there were' fifty years back. So, ask yourselves 
what is the matter? Is it not this growing evil that I have been 
reasoning on for a number of pages which has been brought on us 
by iliese rottiMi hearted women clothed, hell bent, scoundrels, that 
the poor fool laboring men have been upholding, and supporting":' 



HELPS TO THIXKTXl^. 151 

Vrod lielp us all, who are laboring people, both men and women, t') 
wake up and examine into the case and see wjiere the trouble lies, 
and how it has been st'ealiwg on us by our sut^'ering 1)eauty, fashion, 
>;tyle, pride and greatness of this world, to blind us, and have, like 
fools, erosse(! our haieds and feet, and let them tie us so hard that it 
looks like it is hardly wortli while to kiek. But God says there is 
Biothing impossible with Him, and where there is a will there is a 
way, Xow, let us look to God and ask Him to give us understand- 
ing, wisdom, streiigtli, foi'titu le, power, coutideuce and determined 
resolutions to eouK- right out, and kick oft* the bands or fetters and 
form a sovereii^iitv of labor and base our laws rifjht back on the 
teachings of GoA wliich will give the poor and laboring men and 
M'omen freedom and joy, Xow, in order to show the honest heart* 
<*d worn in M'here her honesty comes from, I have been reasoning on 
J he origin of the law, that is by what authority the law was made, 
(whijh was by these corrupt men,) in order that you that are will- 
ing to reason on the subject of the wife's duty to the husband, can 
un lei'st in I how the present state of affairs all came about, that you 
niiy be able to grasp the idea of the importance of obedience to the 
hiisbind, and as Paul said, ••'t.'x:'hing the young women to be so- 
ber, to love their husbands, to love tiieir children, to be discreet^ 
chaste, keepers at honi', good aiid obedient to their own husbands^ 
that the word of God be not blasphemed" — Titus 2 and 4, 5. X^'ow, 
it seems like there has been enough said and enough of God's word 
brought to bear witness in the case to convince everv rational wo- 
«n,in t^n the earth, that (Tt)d made it the duty of every wife on 
t'lrthto be subject to her husband. lleall\', outride of duty to God, 
it looks like every common sensed woman could reason herself and 
understand that it was the best policy and the only jDolicy which 
would make and keep ])eace. AVe should always in temporal raat- 
t-Ts do that thing which we understand to be the best. 

This is about all I shall say on this subject, and, though the rea- 
der may have considered, reasoned, pondered, reflected and 
[irayad over this subject until they are thoroughly convinced and 
resolved by the help of God to deny themselves, and live for the 
glory of her husband, and at the same time some fancy fool with 
some polish about him, with tine language about him, and reason- 
ing powers, should rise up and begin to say and declare that you was 
free born and that you are white, and that you are a human, and 
that you are as good a^ your husband, and that you have as much 
right to your voice as he has, and that the property was yours any- 
way, therefore, I should do as I pleased. I should not be astonish- 
ed if you did not forget all the sound and godly reasoning and fall 
right in line with that vain, proud, fantastic, and hell-de -signing fool, 
hence, making a liell in the little cottage, or in the kings palace, 
and preparing yourselves for a complete hell in the future world. 
So, all I can say, is here is the good and the evil set forth, as 
Joshua said to the Israelites, "Choose vou this day whom you will 



152 _ HELPS TO THIiVKING. 

serve, whether the living- God or the idol gods. As to me and iiiv 
house, (says Jos-hna) we will serve the living God." 

I will add a few more words in reference to Christ's wife, aii<f 
who she was, and her obedience to Him, 1 believe 1 remember 
quoting that God was the head of Christ and Christ was the head of 
the church and that man was the head of the womaiu and Christ 
was to be subject to God, and the church to be subject to Christ 
and the woman to be subject to the man. Now, Cln-ist w^as the 
C 'hurch, or in other words, the Apostles, and if the twelve Apostles 
had not subjected themselves to Christ, or, in other w^ords, had not 
done the will of Christy He would have left them to have made 
their bed in hell and therefore wake up in hell at the resurrec^tion, 
] >ut says one wife, I am not the church and 1113^ husband is not 
Christ. That is very true, but God said that He was tlie head of 
Christ, and in the same figure Christ was the head of the cliui-ch, 
and in the same figure man was the head of the woman — 1 Cor, 
11 and 3, as I hive before pointed out, and to prove tliat the 
rhurch or twelve Apostles were Christ see Rev. 19 and 7. And 21 
and 9 and several more verses. Now, if the reasoning that I have 
i]i;iven you, and it axi'companied with so much of (^od's divine Avord 
does not convince you ail and cause you to follow suit, I feel like 
it will be like the old saying, that I have heard ever since 1 was a 
1)oy, which was true, and that is this: Talk or reason with a fool 
figainst his will, he is the same opinion still: But I am persuaded 
that every common sensed Mife can see and understand that it is 
in her power to make joy, love and peace at home, or it is in her 
power to make trouble, vexation and torment, yea, hell and 
damnation at home. God help every wife on earth to take God's 
law instead of man's law, for the man of their counsel and follow 
it, is my prayer. 



THE DUTY OF A MAN TO HI8 AVIFE. 



Now, as I have been dwelling on the duty of a wife to hei- hus- 
band, I desire to dwell on the duty of a husband to a wife. Though 
a man that has the true qualities of a husband belonging to him, 
needs no instruction as to his duty to a wife, for if he is possessed 
of the true qualities that naturally belongs to a husband he is not a 
fool and he is not dispossessed of an amorous and eft'ectionate quality, 
neither is he a lazy man; neither is he a hlthy man; neither is he a 
man that will loiter around over the settlement idling his time 
away with trashy and worthless people; neither is he a gambler; 
neither is he a drunkard; neither is he dissipated in any way; neither 
is he a man that Avjll forsake his wife's company for an}^ bodies, for 
if that true principle that naturally belongs to the word husband, 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 158 

that true patriotism holds liim to the love and interest of liis family 
and feeling that there are none superior nor none ecpial, in 
Ills feelings, hence, you will find this class of men needing no in- 
struction as to their duty to a wife and a faniih', for his principle 
are his advisors, which are the only true and genuine advisors on 
this earth, (and would to God that every man would take principle for 
his advisor, tlien we would have a loving world,) hence this class 
of men or husbands, feel that their wife is the better half 
and they feel that she is the weaker half both mentally 
and physically and, consequently, needs some one to protect 
her and provide for her, and he understands that the way to protect 
her is to be with her, (except when actual business calls him awayj 
and })rovide for her with his own hands and by his own efforts, in 
sickness or in health, on the land or on the sea, for they are not 
twaiji but one flesh, hence, a mm in the true letter cannot but love 
his own fiesh, aiid when he finds her worn out with the cares of her 
domestic matters and fatigued, looking after her little ones, he is 
I'eady — not onlv ready, but gladly falls into her assistance, hence, 
relieving her of her bui'dons tliat are so oppressing her which does 
her poor wearied feelings mor^ good than forty Judas kisses and 
bracing her up with the fond anticipation that he cares forme. Be- 
hold, I find him at my relief when I most need it, and a friend in 
need is a friend indeed, and I find him in my troubles and find him 
in my sickness and find him in health and I find him at •■all times 
and hi all manners and w^ays though I am absent from my father; 
thouo;li I am absent from mv mother; thouojh I am absent from my 
brothers and sisters; thougli I am absent from all mj^ people; though 
I am absent from all my friends, thank God, I find my warm-heart- 
ed husband standing by my side always ready to relieve me of my 
adversaries at ain^ sacrifice. Now, my husband, you can imagine 
her heart. Is it not full of joy unspeakable? You are ready to 
say yea, LordI Then you see what the duty of a true husband will 
do. Xow, let us take into consideration both Avife and husband, 
and first take the teachings of the duty of the wife and then the 
duty of the husband. You can imao-ine and look alons; the exten- 
ded plains and see joy after joy successive rise, and Ave know that 
joy ahvays follows dut}'. God never did bless anybody out of his 
<Uity only in temperal blessings. Well, one very readily says I 
would do ray duty if the other one would. Well, ussed to have a 
little book that said returiiing the injury done, made two rogues 
when there need be but one. So I have often thought of that little 
phrase; it is true, it is so. So, do right yourself and never retui-n an 
injury done, for that always makes two rogues when there need 
be but one. So, let us be like the okt Puritan in the Legislature 
when the dark da^^ came it was thought that it was the last day. 
So he said if the last dav had come that he wanted to be doino- his 
duty. So, let us be doing likewise. Xow, I have been talking on 
the last two pages to men wdio had the sense or understanding to 
know what husband meant. So, I have but little to say to that 



154 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 

class of people for I understand principle governs them and that 
will point them right. I want to talk some to many married nipn 
wlio have not got any more use for a wife than a vi'agon has for six 
wheels, and thousands never have known that there was a principle 
in marrying nor never have known that there was a principle in 
anything, hence, such men ought to have been put into the chain 
gaiig long before they had spoiled the peace, the joy, the «omfort, 
the beauty, and the future prosperity of so many thousand good 
tender hearted young damsels who would have made bright and 
hajip}" liomes, had tliey married men of principle and honor. What 
a pity! what a pity! Xow, nn^ fellow man, that married without 
the consideration of a principle in the matter, what did you marry 
foi'? Well, one says, I thought I was getting a mighty pretty wo- 
man, and another one says that I thought I was marrying a woman 
that I loved, and one says that T felt like that I had no home, and 
lurking about or living about from place to place and that T had 
better get me a housekeeper so I could have a home of my own, 
fui^l on J says that I bad got to scattering around and drinking and dis- 
ipatlng and doing no good for myself nor country and that I had 
better marry and settle down at home, and one says it seems to be 
fashionable to inariy, and I thought I would marry, and one says I 
Avas courting a girl that I could not get rid of on any reas- 
(inable or fair terms, and I concluded to marry, but I hear another 
thinking man say that I see that the world is being peopled with 
both male and female, and that there is a duty here for every man, 
and that every man has a mother and should have a wife, and that 
eveiy man has to eat, drink and wear, and according to nature every 
man has a desire that was created in Inm in Adam, consequently, I 
am made to fancy some one, and some one made to fancy me, there- 
fore taking all the sourroundings into consideration, I see and 
know that there is a duty for me to do here on this earth, and whilst 
1 fancy a cei'tain one according to the laws and rules that God laid 
down, I understand that it is my duty to take her to myself an 1 
look after her and her interest and protect her in sickness or in 
health and look after her the balanr-e of our natural lives, for she is 
not her own, but has given herself to me and that we are no more 
twain but one flesh. Then, by the help of God, that kind of a man 
will always look after his wife, for it is a principle; but you men 
that married for so many diiferent reasons Galleo-like it would have 
looked more just for some of you to have married brutes, for multi- 
plied thousands, seem to show by your acts that your wives are no 
better than brutes, for the first place you take them, is to the field 
with their backs bowed to the sun all day long, and go in at noon 
and night, and do tlieir domestic matters, and many times you sitting 
humped around the fire-place in the way until she gets her work 
done an 1 then drag her off again. I have only this to say: I was 
raised as poor as any orphan boy. I never inherited anything and I 
have always been a weakly constituted man, but before I would 
l;ave married mv wife and di-us; her into the field with me side by 



HELPS TO THIKKIXG. 1 55 

-■«cte, and dpy by day, I would have worked and scratched m}^ toe* 
aid iiu'-er nails ol¥ trvinir to make a livinsc for her, and 
if a youno,- nian don't think that lie can make a living for 
iiis wife he ka ^ no use for a wife, and if she has got a home he had bet- 
ter let hev ^tay at it .where .she 18 surely better ot¥ and* happier. 
Now, it is true that we all have to abide by the surrounding cir- 
•c-unistanoes, Many of us fall itJto misfortune with t"amilie> 
nuiltiplied on us until both man and woman and every child 
have t^ work in house and out of doors in any and every 
way, in order to keep soul and body together, and where these are 
t'le eases, it is the duty of every member of the family to. do all 
that they are able to do, for it is no disgrace for anj'body to work 
at anything, except witli fools; (but they are numerous) but I say 
\'et, tiioujj:!! 1 have misfortunes and draw backs in many ways, and 
•still have reasonable ^strength to labor, I do not propose to bow hiv 
wife's back to the heated sun day bv^ day, for I would do two days 
work in one, before I would do it and work my children from five 
^'.ar>^ old, up at the sair.i? time, if I think little of any man on th'?> 
<_*art:], it is a man_ that does not know how to appreciate a wife and 
ihe truth of the business is, there is not one man in ten that really does 
know how to appreciate a wife unless he has had a good one and 
lost her, and then it is too late for her to reap any of the benehts of 
liis kindnei>is, Well, a man that has got a wife that is filling the let- 
ter of the law a.s I have heretofore explained in my address to the 
women, having made a full surrender of herself to him doing his 
will in all things, and then for him to neglect her and disregard her 
feeli])i':>: and treatin<r her like she was nothino^ but a o^ood old busjo'V 
liorse, he is not lit for bear bait, neither is he fit for hell, whilst hell 
will be his honjc sooner or later. My dear fellow-man, these are 
|)oints that 1 have given a great deal of tliought during my life, for if it 
liad been that there; had not have been an}^ discord with or between 
man and wife, I am not certain that there would have been much of a 
bell needed, for I think nearly all would have been peace, love and 
liarniony on tiiis earth, Xov^", in the winding up of my remarks on 
this subject I am not trying to please no mortal on tl i^ earth, 
neither am I tiying to cut at anyone individuak I only propose to 
let the truth or facts cut whoever it may. If it cuts me, let it cut; 
if it cuts you let it cut. I suppose that 3^011 will readily say, or at 
least a great number of you will readily say, that you doubt 
whether tlie writer has complied with the rules of a dutiful husband 
or not. You are priviledged to say whatever you please, I only 
f>ay this. Whereever I have fell short of my duty in past life, by 
the help of God, X will try to reform and do my dnt}^ in the remain- 
ing part of my life, and I trust whatever number of the readers of' 
this admonition is able to see that there is a principle in marry* 
ing and doiiig the part of a husband, will consider and act accord- 
ingly, hence, making a better husband than ever before, and all of 
you that sees and understands that you married iust to be in the 
tasliion and to make a brute of your wife, I wouM reform and trv 



156 HELPS TO THINKIXG, 

t') make a husbaiiJ anl treat your wife like a wif 3 or else I woul-l. 
crawl off in some hollow log- and try to stop up the hole. All men 
who have raised dauorhters to be married will bear witness witli rue., 
that it isjio small thing for a man to raise up a daughter the be^^t hv 
is able^ and tried to fit and qualify her to make a dutiful wife and 
then for her to fall in the hands of a mm that fails to be a husband,. 
and makes a brute of his daughter by drivdng her to the field and 
hack, until he drives her to the grave with a broken heart, or he 
may be a man that does not drive lier to the field etc. etc., but may 
hi unpleasant in many ways, consequently, in many ways proves to 
her that he is not a husband but a tyrant over her subjugated heart; 
but if she is not the subjugated wife and makes the hell at home., 
then I have no more t(^ say to the husband only to get out of hell, 
the best you caji, let it be my daughter or any one else's. 



-o- 



TO YOUNG MEN EXPKE8SLY, 



My dear young men, as I have been writing on the scri[)turesand 
on the duty of wife to her husband and husband to wife, I feel that 
the field is open to you now. We will first notice what 
your duty is towards your parents. Let me ask you, yourselves^ 
what it is that would add more beauty, splendor and polish to a 
young man than to see him mild, pleasant and obedient to his father 
and mother, always willing to do tlieir will — always ready to listen 
t) their counselsV You would not only be admired by your parents 
l)ut 5^ou would be loved by all the good citizens, both male and fe- 
jnale all overtlie country — the old aged would honor you and the 
iniddle aged would honor you and tlie young woukl honor you — 
the young men would honor you and the young ladies would honor 
you and the children would honor you, whilst I know it is con- 
trary to young nature to deny yourselves of many of the youthful 
fashions of the country, but it is much the best never to fall in with 
the giddy and the gay and to keep entirely unspotted from the un- 
necessary fashions of the world for tliere is no profit in them, and 
after we have fallen in line with those things it is a great deal hard- 
er to quit them than it is to fall in line with them. Now, for in- 
stance, you may get drunk one time and let it be known all over the 
country, and it takes you a long time Lo get over it, for it makes a 
stain that hardlv will come off at all: but it was no trouble to o'et it 
stuck on to your name. Neither is any other stain or dissipated act 
an}'- trouble to get it to stick on your good name, but it takes soap 
and water and hard washing to get it off, and invleed it some times 
seems to have to wear off. So, the better plan is not to participate 
in any dissipated acts at all. Keep clear of all acts that is wrong. 
Never fall into anything because some other puffed fool has falleii 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 1 rn 

into it. First a.sk Yoiiri>elt' if there is any good cliararter in it; and 
tlien ask yourselt' it' there is any profit in it; then ask yourseli it* 
there is any heauty in it; then ask j^ourselt" if tliere is any intelligence 
in it; then ask yourself if there is any good in it anyway, nianiier, 
fashion or style. By a close examination yon find th?4 there is no 
good to berealize<l in it any way; then, for God's sake do not fall in 
line with it, no difference if it is Capt. Brown's or Col. Jones's sons, 
let them travel alone in their unprofitable acts and conduct. Xo\>-, 
my young men, did you ever know anybody to fall in any kind of a 
habit or fashion uidess there was somebody to imitate or fashion'.-' 
Xo-man would drink whiskey and get drunk and make a dog of 
himself if nobody else would do it. Xo man would curse and swear 
if nobody else would do it. Xo man would fall into die wing and 
smokinir tobacco if nobody else would do it. . Xo man or bov would 
:?dl into the little pevis!) habblt of smoking cigaretts if it was not 
to be like some other fool. Xo man or bo}' would ever play cards 
it" it was not to be like some other fool or evil doer. Xo boy would 
ever runaway from his fatlier and leave home if it was not to be 
like some other puffed fool that thinks he knows more than his 
daddy. Though they hardly ever try to mimic anybody in coming 
back to daddy as it is generally neces.>3ity that diives them back. 
X'^ow, young men, you that have heretofore gotten in any kind of 
trouble, did you get into that trouble by taking your father's advise, 
or by the advise of any other good sober man, or was it by taking 
the advise of 8ome wild dissipated sottisli and low down outlawish 
and sorry fellow? You will readily answer it was by taking the 
counsel of the latter, in eveiy case. 

Then, if I had never p'otten into any trouble' one single time of 
my life by taking my fathers counsel, or the counsel of any other 
good man, I ceriainly could and would rely on such counsel, and 
would be forvv ard in taking that sort of advice, and more than that, 
I certainly would advise my associates to take such counsel or ad- 
vice, and would put up all the reasoning powers that I had in that 
direction, for you know you could safely say. to them that all the 
trouble tttat they ever got into was by taking the advice of some 
disloyal man, who is always contrary to good order,' and that is al- 
ways looking after something that is wild, dissipated, corrupt and 
<lishonorable, and that I would no longer take the advice of sucli 
hellisl^ people that were leading me to scorn, to degredation, to the 
gallows, to drunkness, to khame, to the chaingang, to the jail hous- 
es, to be arraigned in the court rooms, and blazing m}^ road hell- 
wardly as fast as the wheels of time can roll me on, there to meet 
the frowns of a sin avenging God. Who in Adam gave you a la- 
tionality, a common sense, a reasonable sense, a« considering sense, 
a thinking sense, and amidst all this a righteous law to guide you 
in the ;^vay of ail honor, jo}", peace, comfort, love and all such 
things, but alas, too late, too late, my bed is now made in hell and 
oh, I remember the counsel of my father, and I remember the 
counsel of ni}^ mother in tears, I remember the counsel of some of 



158' HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 

my good old tlioughtful neighbors, I remember the counsel of some 
of mv voiiiio' associates who were more thougrhtful than I. I remem- 
ber tlie counsel of one of my darling and religious sweethearts, 
that said with a soft voice, John, don't you know that you are tray- 
eling the wrong roadV Don't you know that it is wrong to get 
drunk? Don't you know that it is wrong to swear? Don't you 
know that it is wrong to play cards? Don't you know that it is 
wi'ono^ to tell stories? Don't you know that it is wronsj to follow 
after all these wild sports of the country? Don't you know that it 
is wrong to participate in these balls and plays oyer the country? 
Don't you know that you are not in the best of company Avhen you 
are in tiiem? Don't you know that you are participating with the 
wilds and slacks of the country when you are in them? Don't you 
know tliat you are acting against your better informed judgement 
Avhen you take a part in sucli? I remember lifting up my eyes from 
under a drooping head and saying Jane, it is true. It is so — that is 
all that I can bear now. But I am in ray bed in hell with all the ad- 
monitions of my father, my watery-eyed mother, my good old 
neighbors, my young associates, and my darling soft voiced sweet- 
iieart wrino-iiio- in my understandino-, like loud claps of thunder. 
Dut alas, like the I'ich man in hell, I desire that some one would go 
back in yonders world and try to persuade all the young men to 
take the counsel of the good people which will lead them to the un- 
dei'standing of God's righteous law, and a better world than this, 
for I am tortured in my soul. Now, young men, if this kind of a 
figure will not make you think and ponder oyer this subject, I am 
at a loss what to say. For I understand that a few words of truth 
is worth ten thousand times that much ficticious stuff. These few 
words are so plain that a way-faring man, though a fool cannot err 
therein. Now, all of you that intend to have youu way anj^how, 
right or wroTig, heaven, or hell, then go on your way, there is one 
that can stop your wild career, and that is God and He will do it, 
sooner or later, for He has promised that eveiy knee shall bow to 
Him, and God cannot lie, and God means what He says, and says 
what He means. So, if you had rather trust yourselves, J^ou have 
a mighty weak arm to trust, but go on and see where you land, for 
experience teaches a dear school, but fools will learn at no other. 

1 hear one young man say, did you always take the counsel and 
footsteps that you are pointing out for us? I emphatically say, I 
have from my boyhood up to the preseiit^lay, and by the help of 
(4od will carry it out. Thank God, I always obeyed and honored 
my mother. I never gave her a cross word, when I was a boy. I 
wa^ an orphan boy and I had no father to control me, and the most 
of those kind of bctys take a good deal of privilege, but my mother 
syjent a o-reat deal of time advising me how to act, and how us^lv 
and wrong it was to swear, and told me it would bring me m dis- 
honor to engage in such things, and that all the good and correct 
kin 1 of people would frown on me, and more than than that, she 
tol 1 in? that she would whip me if T did such things. So, through 



HELPS TO TlllXKIKG. 151) 

fear and love to mv mother, I never disobeyed her instructions and 
orders in reference to swearing one single time of life after knowing 
the evil of an oath, and so she likewise reasened and talked with 
me n great deal about the evils of whiskey and and card playing 
and all the evil dissipations of life. So, amidst all the counsels of 
my mother and all the good, upright people, I am thankful to God 
that I have been coiisiderate, I never made myself drunk in my 
life, I never swore an oath in my life after understanding an oath. 
I never played cards in my life. I have always kept myself un- 
spotted from all manner of dissipation from my cradle up to the 
jtresent day, and have ever been a law-abiding man. 

Now, I will make a guarantee to every young man that lives 
from ten to twenfy years, and w ill follow my direction, will be a 
ii'ood, square, solid and upright citizen, and in most cases doing well 
Jinancially. In the tij-st ])lace, be obedient to your parents and give 
a listening ear to them and all the good people of the country, and 
in the 2nd place don'i never associate with anybody but good, civ- 
il and upright j)eople, mid in the ord place don't never swear 
any, and in the 4th place never drink any spirituous liqiiors, nor 
dissipate in any way that is contrary to good order in the country, 
and in the 5th place never play cards or any other game of non- 
sense and sport, and in the t>th place always be truthful in and on 
all occasions, and in the 7th place contend for every right and fight 
everything that is wrong, and in the 8th place be industrious at all 
times, and idle away no time, and in the 9tli place be saving and 
ocouoniical in all tlungs, but stingy in nothing, and in the 10th 
and last place trv to examine into your case between j^oii and God 
and the examination has to go through a process of the N^ew Testa- 
ment and no other way under heaven. 

Xow, these foregoing requirements are as easy to comply with as 
it is for a man to live and have health, therefore, give a guar- 
antee that every man that complies with the foregoing requirements 
from ten to twe?ity years will be a good, square, upright and honor- 
able citizen, and in most cases, doing well iinancially. N"ow, my 
young men, any of you that feel disposed to take one of the admo- 
nitions, thank God for it, and if you can swallow them all down T 
thank God the more, and I believe He will bless you the more. 
J>ut if you ai'e not dispo>'ed to take any of the foregoing admoni- 
tions, then gallop on to hell, for the sooner you get there the bet- 
ter it will be for those left behind who might be persuaded to take 
the admonitions. 

lly dear young men, all over the United States, I feel a deej) 
anxiety in eveiy young man falling in line in one united honorable 
])rinciple, forming a unity of peace, harmony and love, it Avould 
look sweet, loving and Godly to me. Now, young men, I shall 
leave these few thoughts for your consideration, if it causes any of 
you to think over your crooked road and repent, I have done 
nothing but my duty, and if it does no good I feel that I have only 
done my duty before God and man. 



N 



160 HELPS TO THINKING. 

YOUXG LADIES' COUNSEL. 



As I Iia;ve trie^l to st'ite to tlie wife what I iindei'stood to he her 
Jiity towards her husbairl and have, hke wise, tried to state v.diat I 
thought to be a hiisban 1'* duty to the wife and have, alss^o, glve-n 
tlie yonng men a short eoiinsel, I now feel like the field is open lor 
a short discussion on the duty of young hidies, for I have ever felt 
a deep interest in their welfare in t'iiis world from several facts and 
one is I have always thought that the young, tender and inuo^-eut 
damsels were due the raost instruction and counsel "of any people 
on earth, and some times I have thought, taking them as a miss, 
that they got the least counsel of anj^bodj'" else. They ai-e like tlie 
fish of the waters, beino- loved bv so manvthatit has always ]>een sai 1 
tiiat fish had more enemies than any other thing on earth and few- 
er friends. ISTow, it occurs to my mind, it is likewise a similar fig- 
ure in reference to the beautiful young damsel of this earth. Vou 
are innocent in your young, tender nature, you are honest in your 
intentions, you think you have many more friends than what you. 
really have, for you have actually have not got but one true and* 
genuine friend on earth? I mean that is a friend on princi}>le, and 
that is your mother. Whilst you may think that your father is n 
true friend, and perhaps he thinks so, and perhaps you may think 
that your brotlier is a triie friend and ho thinks so, and perhaps you 
think certam young men in the country is a true friend to you, and. 
you would rely on him .as a fi-iend, and he, at the same time, claim- 
ing to be one of the warmest friends in the world,, and at that 
\evy moment anticipating in his heart, some advantage of vow^ 
vv'hich would rob you of \'bur cliaracter, which would be better for 
you if he were to rob you of your hearts blood, and all he likes of 
cari-ying out his anticipatiou, is for you to trust him as a friend and 
throw yoitrself in his hands. Now, if a man or person is not a 
friend on a principle their friendship is worthless and cannot be relied 
on. Let us examine the case of your brother Vjeing a friend. You 
think he is and he thinks he is and at the same time he is or has 
been seeking the advantage of some young damsel and would have 
robbed her of her character if it had been in his power. Then he 
is not a genuine friend, because he is not a friend to the cause. If 
a man is a friend to a cause, and lets principle govern him then he 
is a genuine friend and not only a friend to his sister, but he is a 
friend to anybody else's sister, because he advocates the cause and 
principle; therefore, he is a safe man. So, my young damsel, all 
that secitres you and yom* character is your own reliance and sta- 
bility accompanied with your true mother, though that mother, 
whilst her principles are true and genuine, may liave neglected to 
have counseled you as much as she ought to have done, for a moth- 
er never can give her daughters too much precaution of the snares 
and traps that may be set for them. So then, my daughter, think 
of that brother that believes he is a friend to you and your charac- 
t 'i\ an I at the sa ne ti ne ti'viug to steil some vouno; ladies charac- 



HELPS TO TllIXKIXG. liil 

tor. OhI bow inconsistent he is. If lie wouM only (li-aw a pict-ire 
of himself, and principle, it seems to me that he vroiiM almost 
shi'ink in his tracks. The very things th.at he is guilty of trying to 
«lo or accomplish with someboly else's sister, he -would readily say 
to his sister, if a m;in should treat you thus and so, 1 would slioot 
his brains out. S(> you see that that brother is an inconsistent man, 
therefore, rely on your own solid ]>rinciple that has been strength- 
ened by the mothers counsel. Don't never fail to go tlie j^nother 
for all counsel and at all times. Never hide anj^ secrets from the 
mother and father, for it is so arranged in Adam for father 
and mother to be the best friends to their children of anybody on 
earth. Theref(»re,'al ways tell your secrets to your best friends and 
ask your best frfen<ls for counsel in every case. A friend cannot 
give bad counsel to a friend. 

My young damsels, or ladies, my intention- at the outset was to 
])r()ve to you that your parents were the truest fiT?ends on earth, 
and to counsel them was your only safe-guard, and I still maintain 
that i<lea and prhiciple; but to your surprise and to the father's shame, 
the truth will expose multiplied thoiuinds of your fathers. It is 
the truth beyond a doubt. It is so. When your chaste or pure 
heait, which has been cultivated by honest mothers to fVora a 
small to a great degree of intelligence, takes a retrospective view of 
the past state of affairs up to the present day, you . are compelled 
to see, know and understand that the majoi'ity of the men of the 
}tresent <hxy are treacherous to the cause of purity. Men who have 
wives, sisters and daughters, who ought to be standing by the ban- 
ner star of purity aud patriotism, are to-day using all the strate- 
gy and powers that the devil is able to give them, to decoy and 
lead off the pure hearted damsels and virgins of all our land and 
country, setting snares and traps and baiting them v.ith ' all the 
l)eaut3', fantastic, deception, allurements, pretense, deceitful and 
liypocritical chat that their hellish tongues can control and, doubtless, 
Avould succeed in decovin-o: and leadino- the whole mass of us into 
heathenism and barbarism; but for the jjure hearted damsels and vir- 
gins of this present day, who are braced by their pure hearted 
mothers and sisters, accompanied with only a scattered few of fath- 
ers, husbands and, brothers, making the monstrous light to retain 
their purity and modesty, which- belongs to them, having to war 
against the monstrous and heroic man with all his engenuity and 
strategy that' the princes of this ^vorld can aid him, you have suc- 
ceeded in retaining your purity, your virginity, your modest}^ and 
the prosperity of our country. Now, my fellow-man, who has been 
an enemy to his parents, to his wife, to his sister and to his daughter, 
Avhere are you? Come out, for I know you are there. Think over 
your case — consider where 3'our mother would have been to-day? 
"Where would jonv wife ha^'e been to-day? Where would your 
sisters have been to-day? Where would your daughters have been 
to-da}", if their purity, virginity, modest}', prosperity had have hing- 
ed on your conduct and purity? AlasI AlasI They would all have 



162 HELPS TO THINlvING. 

been one united mass of degredation. Then, my fellow-man, how 
many of us can lift up our voices toward God and say, I have 
stood side by side with my mothci*, wife, sisters and daughters and 
advocated the damsel in her beauty, the virgin in her purity, and 
the mother and wife in their modesty, by our secret conduct. 
AVhere are we? And who are we? I ask the question broadcast, 
including the so-called preachers and all. Now, let every man that 
feels no guilt in his heart, lift up his voice to God and say I have 
advocated the cause of purity and modesty in my heart, but I, for 
one, shrink witli a gudty conscience. Though, I thank God for a goodh^ 
number of years T have been trying to act Avholly, solely and entire- 
ly on principle without an}^ consideration of favor or policy, and 
God being my helper, I will spend the balance of m^^ days in that 
direction. Now, my fellow-man, I speak to all, and some of you 
are husbands and fathers, and some ot_ydu are not, but you have 
all had mother, wife or sister. Now, weigh yourselves in the scales 
of justice, purity and modesty and see how much you would weigh. 
I imagine that a feather would out weigh multiplied thousands of 
you, and I believe that you are able to see and understand that 
your weight in those scales would be nothing. Then if you are 
able to see that you have been a drone, a drag, a drawback, and a 
curse to the promotion of purity and modesty, it looks like that a 
good sensible buggy horse would reform and spend the balance of 
Lis days in the duty he owed to his mother, his wife, his sister, his 
country and his God. It seems to me that there are thousands of 
men who are husbands of good modest and noble hearted women 
and fathers of many most precious and tender hearted damsais, if 
lie were to meditate and think over his past life and his example 
that he has laid before his tender jewels, he surely would be like 
the poor publican, he could not^so much as lift his eyes towards 
Heaven. Though, no doubt, had undertook to counsel his daught- 
ers many times ami thought he was a true husband to his wife and 
a true father to his daughter. Tliere is a great many men that 
think that they are a true husband and a true father because they 
feed and clothe them, (when the law compels them to feed and 
clothe them), and, according to the teaching of Christ, any one do- 
ing anythhig by compulsion deserveth no honor, then my true hus- 
band and father as you think you have been, see if you can weigh 
mv wife and dauohtei- in the same scales that vou weigh yours: 
and then, again, look back and see if you ai-e willing to weigh yours 
ill the same seniles that you have many times weighed others; or ^n 
ot'ier words, are you willing for the siime advantage to be taken 
over your wife and daughters^ tliat you have taken over others in 
your ])ast life. This is the golden rule. Then let us all weigh in 
the same scales, no difference v/hether we are weighing in or out, 
ov wliether it be goods or pi-oduce, or whether it be rich or poor. 
AViiilst I include myself, I say to the fathers, husbands and broth- 
ei-s, I iixvo exposed the whole outfit to your mothers, wives anv\ 
sistirs, whii'h I di.l not anti,ci;vit3 wlvdn I commenced my address to 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 163 

the young damsels, bnt 'the way it came up 1 was compelled to 
tell the truth, aiul hope it will have its goo>l effect with both 
damsel and father, for it surely will rally the father to a double 
ti?inkiug diligence, and it will surely make the damsel rely more 
and more on her lirmness in her future life. 

My young ladies you see m the three pages that I have, to some 
extent, de])arted or varied from the tenor or lead, of my discourse, 
whilst I was mainly trying to show you what was your main and 
strong arm. to relv on, wliich was the counsel of your mothers and 
fathers; but being so forcibW struck with the idea of the impurity 
and inconsisteucy of the mass of your fathers and brothers, I was 
obliged to bring it to bear upon your minds, and I desire to impress 
upon your minds not to follow the examples of the inconsistent 
fatlier, for he is like a sign board, alwa3^s pointing out the right 
road to his children but does not travel one step of it himself. The 
fatlier always desires his children to do well if he does evil himself. 
So, 3'ou are safe in always taking his counsel, for he cannot, nor 
will not, give wrong counsel intentionally, therefore, never be back- 
ward in imparting all you know to your parents and ask for coun- 
sel in all easels. It is true that multiplied thousands of young ladies 
Jiave had good opportunities in this life and liave been well in- 
structed in the school rooms and around the firesides of their homes, 
hence, may have a great deal of confidence in themselves and, con- 
sequently, rely on their own judgements for their protection; but 
you of this grade ami class, doubtless, your associates are of equiv- 
olent abihties; therefore, it is just as necessary for you to look to your 
fathers and mothers for counsel and protection as it is for any other 
grarle or class of girls. ' On the other hand, there are thousands of 
young ladies tliat have had veiy limited opportunities to receive in- 
sti'uctions either in tlie school room or from the fireside, at the same 
time just as good by nature, and many of you far better by prac- 
tice, therefore, your depressed circumstances in life should not be 
disencouraging to you but hold up your heads in honor, in truth, in 
modesty, in purity, and looking to fatlier and mother for earthly 
counsel, and God for heavenly counsel. If you want to be on the 
safe side never have any secrets to keep from father and mother, 
and never conclude that you. know as well as father and mother. 
Y^ou never heard of one instance of your life of a young lady bring- 
ing disgrace on herself or staining her character by taking the coun- 
sel of her father and motlier; but you see thousands upon thousands 
of cases bringing themselves to disgrace, shame and degredation by 
failing to go to their parents for counsel and failing to take counsel; 
but I hear many say that I have got no parents, then look to the 
ones that raised you, and to good people for your counsel. Then 
let me persuade all young ladies, rich and poor, great and small, to 
never have any secre's from your parents and in all cases go to them 
for counsel, for in counsel there is safetj'. Xow, it seems to me, 
that a few words of plain truth that a ten year ol I girl can under- 
stand is worth more than ten thousand magnifiL-ent and polished 



1G4 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 

Y/ords, having no ti'utli in tliem. In the preceding discourse T 
have pLainly shown that it lias been the pin-ity, honesty and modesty 
of the female sex that has kept th.e ^Yorld from running into dis- 
honor and barbarity, and that lias ke])t us a prosperous })eople. 
Whilst this is a.n evitable fact, it may appear to many of the female 
minds that they ought not to be subject to the will of the man, but 
you should bear it in mind that your power is only in ])urity, honesty 
and modesty. Now, to these three add obedience and subjection 
to the man which makes love and you ^t'ould C();iquer the woi'ld, 
for God has plainly taught that the world is to be conquered by 
love. Though that would not be you that was conquering, but it 
would be obedience and love. ISo, if there is any of this counsel 
that is good and in accordance with Cod's word take it^ and -that 
w^hich is not good pass it by. 



-o-- 



POSSESSING LANDS. 



I desire to write a short letter on the subject of owning or posyess- 
ing lands which dias been and is one of the greatest curses oi^ the 
world, and, infact, anything that is not in accordance with the will 
of God, is always a curse to the people of this earth, and God ne\^ei' 
willed that any natural man should own, possess, or control, any- 
thing that He created. What? Says onel Did not God creat'e 
everythingV No sir He did not create yon, for if He had created 
you it is an evident fact that you would have been good, for every- 
-tiiing that God ci'eated was good and very good. It is true that 
He created the germ of everything, or in other v/ords, the seed of 
evervthincrl then bv the controlino; acts and proceedinoi;s of man the 
seed of the earth was propagated and contiiuied to increase on the 
earth. Now, He created the germ of all the grain and seed of the 
earth, and man plants, cultivates, and raises continually, which is 
multiplying and replenishing the earth. In many "instances we are 
<lestro\dng and obliterating germs or seed, and in niany instances, 
Ave are propagating and increasing germs and seed. Hence, by the 
acts and management of men, or people, they can, and do create all 
things, except of the four elements by which all things can live and 
have their existence, and that is the earth, the lire, the water and the 
air, of which God never willed that man should own or possess any 
of these elements for He created all these elements and willed that 
every living thing of this earth should have equal freedom privileges 
and rights, where they had the need of it. Now, He created the 
air, but not for the purpose of any man to control or own, that He 
may deprive 'any other man or being of equal use, privilege, or 
benefit, but it was for the tise of every human and every animal and 
ever insect. Yea! to purify eveiwthing on the earth, and it was pre- 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 105 

iixed and arrani>*e<l to perform its rei>;ula]- cii'c'uits at the time it was 
'•reated, for God says the wind 2:oet!i towards the>^outh and turneth 
about unto the North — it whirleth about continually, and the winl 
returneth ai;ain according to his cii'cuits — Eccle. first chapter. So, 
vou see its stillness and g-entleness and its veheinents. Yea! 
its tornado, cyclone and destruf^tive movements and the line on 
wliidi it runs, are all prefixed and arranged just the same as the 
sun Avas prefixed and arranged to run its line according to its cii'- 
cuits. Secondly, He created the water but not for the pui-pose of 
n-en to own possess or control that He may depi-ive or take the use 
of it from other men or animal creation. He willed it to be free to 
the whole fleshly creation according as they needed it, and it was 
prefixed and ai'ranged at the time it was created to perform its 
circuit on and around and through the earth, according to God's 
purp )se. If you will give the matter a thought you will see that 
the eirth an'l its \\aters are a perfect figure of man and his blood, 
for his bl(>od is conveyed from his heui't by arteries into the pores 
of the flesh, tlion in tlie small \eins, then into the larger ones until 
it is conveyed back to tiie heart an 1 continually ])erforming its rev- 
olution. So, you see the same I'evolution of the earth audits Avaters, 
the o'*ean being tiie lieart which all the waters empty into, tlien 
conveyed back tln-ough the arteries or veins oRhe earth and bursting 
out in small streams, then empting into larger streams until con- 
veyed back to the ocean, hence, performing its prefixed revolutions 
continually, and in that levolution, supplies the earth and all its in- 
habitance and free to all the fleshly family alike, both, human and 
nriimals. Thirdly, lie created the lire or igneous element which He 
Anlleth not that any man should own, possess or control the fire, 
so as to prohibit others from having equal use or benefit of that 
element, which God created for His own glory and for the benefit 
of mankind, that all should have equal light and privilege to 
the same. Xow, out of the four elem.ents I have named three of 
tliem, and have clearl}^ shoA\'n to the mind of every reader or com- 
mon sensed person that these elements were created, first, for His 
own glory and for the gloiy of man, for whicli He had no respecter 
of person as to the use, benefit and privilege of these elements 
they were for the- tall and the Avise, the great and the small, the 
rich and the poor, the Avliite man, the red man and the black man. 
Whilst I am satisfied from Avhat mj^ eyes have seen for the last fifty 
years, if it Avere possible that the rich man accompanied Avitli the 
vain, proud, idle and lazy mass could control and speculate on the 
an-, that a great portion of the people of this earth AA^ould haA^e long 
since been perished for the Avant of air to breathe, and I further- 
mo]"e belieA^e the same in reference to the Avater element, if it Avfere 
possible that they could control and speculate' on the Avater, the 
poor class of people A^'ould have been about like hogs Avhen they 
got dirty, for they would have had to rubbed off the dirt or mud 
and would think ihej Avere doing Avell if the}' got enough to drink 
If they could have controled the fire and made it a profitable thing 



166 HELPS TO THINKIXG. 

- • 

there would have been multiplied thousands frozen to deatli long- 
ago, and many that were living would be baking their bread in the 
sun. Fourtlily, God created tlie earth for his own glory an<l 
for the glory and interest of man, and told him he should till 
the ground and by the sweat of his face he should eat bread; 
but He never willed that any man should own or possess any part 
of the earth, for He created the earthly element that the whole 
Adamic family should hav^ equal rights and privileges, for He has 
no respecter of persons in reference to His temporal blessings, and 
futherraore, He willed that the whole fleshly family bad a home on 
this eartlr and that they receive their food and n^utriment from the 
herbs, vegetables and seed of the earth. But it is very plain to see, 
that according to the process of the times for the last few hundred 
years, that the vain and rich man will soon have God robbed of one 
of His elements, wliich is the earth, and thousands will be claiming 
a portion of it, and claiming that they have a full chain of titles, 
and every word of it a lie. In order to have a full chain of titles 
we would have to have a chain back to to the creator of a thing or 
the original owner, and everybody well knows that there is no title 
or plot and grant from God the oi-iginal, therefore, all the titles for 
any part of this earth are all quit claim titles, and when the origi- 
nal creator or grantee calls for his territory, the mrllions of quit 
claim titles will hold no longer. Xow, how thisthhig of land owning 
conmienced and how long ago is unknown to me, and why a man 
at the outset would propose to deed a thing away that was not his, 
is the question? It only shows a greedy and dishonest principle 
an.d that same principle exhibits itself more and more the longer 
time lasts. '^Jliere are plenty of men now in the United States, if 
they were able would buy out the whole United States, and make 
renters and servants of the balance, and it would be just in as good 
shape that way as it is uo^y foi- the poor laboring man, while there 
are thousands of land holders Wv)uld kick high at the idea of one 
man owning the whole thisig, and at the same time perfectly willing 
to be one of a ])arty to own the whole thing. And for the other 
})oition of the earths hihabitance to be renters and slaves. But, ohi 
liow hai-d it is to acknowledge a thing to be wrong, if it hurts our 
l)o.;ket oi- oui' property or our honorable ]>osition. It takes a man 
w.lh a big honest heart to do it. (Jod help us to think about it, 
my dear readers. 

I will say this much for the readers consideration, I own about 
eiirht hundred acres of land for which I have, as I said before a quit 
claim title to and I would vralk right up tothe polls any day on earth 
and gladly vote a ticket tliat ]io man on the earth own a foot of 
1 m I, and it belong to ths nition, hen3e, giving every mm a 

home where ever it is unsettle 1, then no man could complain of be- 
i'vx ])ressevl one of another, thc^i I would feel like that God's will would 
1)0 Carrie 1 out, so far as his four create 1 elements being free to" the 
vrhole Adamic world was concerned. 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. 107 

Tills th\n<f of land owning his been going on so long^ that tlic 
whole nation believes it is right, ainl it would be impossible to con- 
vince the people of this wrong, more especially, those that are land 
liolders, as it is almost impossible to make a man see that a thing is 
wrong when it reaches his pocket or his honor. It would take the 
Holy Christ and His Apostles performing their miracles to convince 
the ]>eople, and perliaps they would fail. All of you aged 
people Well know in the year IS'oO, if a man had have contended 
earnestly and publicly tiiat it was wrotrg to own negroes that they 
uught to be ajid must be set free, the negro owners would have ral- 
lied and hung hinito the first tree they come to; and I well remem- 
ber that during the struggle of negro freedom, 1 was the owner of 
some of that kind of property, wliich made me lean in favor of 
-lavery. However, I showed my hand in that direction, but I hid 
great scru])]es in reference to slavery, and became perfectly satis- 
fied to abolish slavery, from the fact I became- satisfied that it dis- 
pleased God for a peojjle to be in bondage, and especially wh n 
j>ressed upon by much tyranny, and I am thankful and proud to- 
day tliat thi>y were freed, and I trust that they may be colonized 
an<l have a country of their own. And I thhik to take 
t]ie United States as a people, tliat we are much better- off 
and a great deal hap{)ier, and I am of the opinion that there arebnt 
few men who would have them back into slaveiy if they could. While 
at tlie time of the abolition of slavery the Southern slave holders 
tiiought they were forever ruine^l, for it was a great sacrifice for a 
i:ian to lose from -SlUOO to -ii?! 00,000 atone time, and it would now 
look the same to the people te give up their lands. They would 
tliink they were forever ruined, while it would prove to be one of 
tlie most harmonious things on the eartli. It would make a perfect 
unity of feeling throughout the government as soon as it became 
n law and the people fully surrendered to it. I hear one say, do 
you want every body to give up their homes? Xo sii-, not at all, for 
vv'hatever a man creates himself he should own, possess and con- 
trol. So, a man's resi<lence and farm is his own creation. He 
erects the buildings, clears the land, fences it, etc. That iraprovc- 
iiieiit is his to keep or sell, and every man that hal a farm would 
still liave a home, but tlie land belonGjs to the o'overnment or na- 
tion. Therefore, he would have no tax to pay oidy on personal 
property. Now, the lands of the Indian nation belongs to the vari- 
ous tribes or nations, and any man has a right to settle anywhere 
in the nation, just so he does not intrude on another citizen nearer 
than one-fourth of a mile each wa}^ from his residence, which gives 
him a half mile square. But these by-laws in reference to the dis- 
tance from each other would have to be regulated according t > 
the density of tlu,' peojde. It might in some countries have to be 
confined to the enclosed premises, and in other countries the prem- 
ises might h ive to l)e cut down to small ones after the timber was 
all consumed and the country densely populated. AVe should be 
governed according to tlie people. One man lias no nior? right to 



1G8 HELPS TO THINKING, 

liberty and a big outlet than another, and one man should not be 
crowded anymore than anothei-, and all the j)eo])le in the same o'ov- 
e)"nment should liave the same privilege and rights, and feel like we 
were one people and onefaniibr, and I emphatically say tliat every 
child of God, and <-'''>'(^yy honest heai-te<l man, that will seriously ex- 
amine both sides of the subject — first placiiig himself in the I'ich 
man's, oi" land owners slioes, and then place himself in the poor 
man's, or renters shoes,, h^e ^vill acknowledge that this earth ought 
to be free to all alike, for he knows^that God hasnarespector of p)er- 
sons in temporal matters, and God has nothing to do hi controling tem- 
])oral matters. But has. given us a waybill and left us all free agents 
in temporal matters, and we see tliat in all the past ages of the 
Avorld that he carries out his | ur^)oses. And he purposed that when 
the vain, the proud and self-conceited man usurping and exhibitii]g 
his superiority and power over liis fellow-man, to cut them off in 
their vanity a7)d wickedness, that they may go to their own place^ 
there to rule and i-eign with the devil in all time to come, where 
they can retain their finery and possess kingdoms of lands, as I un- 
derstand that the devil possesses many kingdoms and is veiy llijeral 
with them, as he offered one man all his kingdoms if he would fall 
down and woi-ship him--MatIi. 4 and 9. Now, this man was a, 
preacher that God called qualihed to preach Ilis word or gospel, 
and I am of the opinion that if it had been one of the called preach- 
ers of thia-tiay and time, that the devil would have lost all his king- 
doms of this world riglit then and there, and there would have been 
-yue rich preaclier and he would have out strutted a turkey gobbler 
in the spring of the year, and he would have rented his lands out 
and hired servants and built a grand residence and furnished- it 
with all th3 magnificent fmniture that vain, proud man coukl desire, 
and boug"':t the finest silver or gold mounted vehickles that could 
have been put up accompanied with grand ornamented hai-ness and 
perhaps two of the finest bay horses that there were in the govern- 
ment, and them well washed and rubbed down by his servants who 
had been forced to bondage by not having any lands to cidtivate^ 
but thanks be to God he was not one of the devils preachers, if Tie 
had have been he would have taken his reward and preached for 
him; but he was God's preacher, who conld discern all spiritual 
things, and every preacher that ever did preach, for God could do 
likewise, and none of his preachers ever owned any land, nor never 
wanted land or monev or jjoods of this world — Acts 2 and 44 and 
45. And acts 4 a,nd 84. As I said God purposed to save the 
oppressed from under the hand of the wicked tyrant. Fn*st we will 
notice that the Israelites were under the hands of old Fharoah and 
his grand Egyptian host as servants under a higher class of people 
and God finally heard their cries aiid prepared a man to open lip to 
their understanding that tliej^ were being pressed on by a higher class 
of people and taught them that there was a better country and that 
they should be freed from under the hand of these vain, proud j^eo- 
pie of Eg3'pt and should have a good land of their own, where they 



HELPS TO THINKING. • 1(39 

sliould drink milk and eat honey and they wouhl he a free people, 
although they were treated cruel and oppressed in every way that 
they could be, and worked under task-masters, they Avere hard to 
make believe that there was a better countr}-, and a country where 
they could have their freedom, and they were very numerous like 
the laborino; man is now, but thev had no confidence in themselves, 
from the fact they were poor and ke])t in oppressed cu'cumstances, so 
they could not educate themselves, and they truely thought those . 
grand and noble educated Egyptians were their superiors and had 
a perfect right to task them and lash them. They were so zealous 
and earnest in that kind of faith that they would not have believed 
a. word that ]Moses told them if He could not have performed mira- 
cles to show them that he-Avas from God. It is just so to-day. No 
natural man can make the people belicA^e that a thing or practice is< 
wrong that they have been horned and raised up under, and their 
fathers-, mothers and grand-fathers and grand-mothers being raised 
up under the same laAv oi* practice, they haA'e become substantuated 
in the practice or law, until the}- feel like they are AA'illing to die in 
that faith or pi-actice and at the same time, the faith, law or prac- 
tice is as rotten as hell itself and leading us in A^ast columns every day 
we live liell-wardly, and whilst I understand that the day of mira- 
cles is past by, I believe tliat God Avorks in mauA^ mysterious Avays, 
His will be done, and I believe that God Avorked His hand in be- 
half of liberating the poor, ignorant African that Avas kept in ignor- 
ance until he did not understand that it Avas Avrong for him to be a 
slaA'c or servant, and whilst I ncA'er inherited any property in life, 
J Avas hui't by tiie abolition of slaverA^ about Avhat Av^as considered 
>>2000 Avorth of that kind of property before the Avar, AA^hich was no 
cross to my feelings but a joy to me, believing that God's Avill Avas 
done. 

- Now, mV fellow-man, and brother land holder, this thing abolish- 
ing land holding or OAvning land, Avould be hissed and scorned at by 
more people than anything that could be named. As it has been a 
law and practice ever since long before Christ Avas on earth, and 
a practice that such a large majority of people haA'e paiticipated in, 
but it is no difference about the big side when God takes sides — His 
side always conies out conquerer, and I earnestly belicA'e that God 
is hearing the cries of the poor and oppressed laboring man, and has 
been, and is opening up to the understanding of that class the cruel 
injustice that is now existing to wards, them, and hcAAall finally open 
up a Ava}^ for their delivery as He opened the Red Sea for the Israel- 
ites to pass out of bondage Wid cruelty. Noav, I am aAvare that 
there are thousands of laboring men that are land holders, but that 
is no difference, AA'heneA^er good christian, honest hearted men get 
right doAvn to serious thinking before God and asking God-to help 
liim to submit to the truth, he gets right a' eiy quick, and this on- 
ly needs one gooci honest glance to see the consistency of the mat- 
ter. Very near all of this Avorld's goods that I possess consists 

of about eight hundred acres of land, Avhich I Avould esti- 



170 HELPS TO THIXKI:N"G. • 

mate at seven or eight dollars per acre, and according to the wav 
that T understand what would be justice to all men and pleasing to 
God, I would gladly and joyfully, any day, vote a ticket to abolish 
land holding except by improvements. Let us examine the case and 
see how much we would have hurt ourselves: Suppose that my lands 
woiild give all my children a home, how much have I hurt my chil- 
dren when they would all have a home anywhere that was unset- 
tled and we would all retain our own homes or impi-ovements until 
we sold it; but no man should be allowed to own but one improve- 
ment at a time, for the Indians are ruining their government by al- 
lowing the citizens to buy or own more than one improvement at a 
time. They are trying to be as much like the white man as they 
possibly can, and it is the nature of all human, as far as I am 
acquainted with the Adamic family, to own all they can and climb 

*higher and higher The Lidian will soon have their government 
just in as bad condition as this United States are in, for in less than 

, iifty years the rich, the gi-and and educated Indian will own all the 
improvements, hence the poor class of Indians will be renters and 
servants. If they would repeal that act and not allow a citizen to 
owi*i but one improvement at a time they would have a happy and 
harmonious kingdom in all tone to come, and all they like is to be 
taught industry, but from what I know about an Indian they were 
born lazy. ^Ly brother laboring farmer, this is a subject that I have 
thought over a great deal and 1 desired to write a few pages on 
this subject, but have written a great deal more than I anticij^ated, 
and, I hope, tliat you land holding and laboring men that are not 
able to see this matter as I see it, will not discard the idea but 
weigh and consider this thing deeply, for I am as conscientious in the 
matter as any man on eartli could be in anything, and the reason I 
stated to my readers about the amount of land that I possess was to 
show you that my principle was not a matter of policy, for^it is very 
reasonable to suppose that a renter would be of this opinion; but a^ 
man that owns no land has nothing to prevent him from looking 
at the matter with an eye single to the titith and justice. AVhile I 
look at this thing in a two-fold view for I feel like it would be do- 
ing the whole Adamic family justice and allowing every man a fair 
chance to make a living. I am fully of the opinion that it is not 
the Anil of God for any man to own any of the four elements that 
He created, that is the earth, fire, water and air. These elements 
were inevitably to be free, hence all the land should belong to the na- 
tion that inhabits it and all equal citizens and equal privileges, it 
looks to me that a one-eyed monkey could see that to be just and 
right, and you will always iind God on the side of justice. Give a 
man these foui- elements and physical strength and he is all right as 
to living in t1iis world, but to take either one of these four elements 
from him and where and wliat is he? He cannot live, and when all 
t:ie eaith is bought up and owned by the monopoly, money or rich 
element of the M'orld, then where is the poor man and his little 

brood':' He is in a worse fix than Christ was when on earth. He 



HELPS TO THINKIXa. 171 

!>aid he ]ia<l not where to lay His head, but the poor man and his 
iittle brood hath not where to set his feet nor lay his head for he 
iiath not wliere to build hifii a house to shelter himself or little 
ones. He is worse ol^ than the fowls of the air for they can inhab- 
it the aerial element and have homes in the air, and the foxes and 
other animals and insects of the earth liavc their holes and residen- 
ces in the earth. So, you see that the poor man (when the lands 
are all possessed by men)-is in a worse fix tlian any liviniif thing on. 
the eartli, the serpent not excepted, for they have homes in the 
earth. 

On the first*day of January next, how many poor men with their 
families could be turned out upon the public hiiijhways in the one 
lone State of Ueorccia if landowners should say to tliem get you out 
from here — T Jiave no use for you, this is my land and you must- 
gee away, I wish I knew" precisely, but T will suppose that there 
w'ouhi be a half 'million of men, w*omen and cliildren that w^ould not 
have anyM'here to place their feet except in the public highways and 
tliey would be so full that the honorable land holders could not pass ^. 
until they perished out. If there is a half million in the lone **^ 
State of Georgia in tliat fix, what number do you suppose there 
would be in these United States in tlie same homeless condition^ 
and at the same time the most of God's family belonging to that 
class of people? This is one fact that I know, because ^4od's Avord 
plainh^ teaches it, for He said that there was but few of the wdse ac- 
cording to the flesh and the noble and the mighty, w^ere called. My 
brother christian land holders, if ^^-ou will weigh this thing oyer and 
over, and turn it about and view every side of the subject honestly, 
seriously and candidly, before a just God, I feel like that the very 
liaii-s of your head would seenn'ngly i-ise, and your heart within you 
would be made to mourn and bleed. Then, when you are made to 
feel, see and know of a wrong, why do you not do like old righteous 
Paul, right about your course, and place your shoulder to the wdieel 
and do all you can in the direction that God directs your conscience? 
Oh! says one, that w^ould be on the little side and the grand and 
noble people of this world w^ould frown on me and I w^ould be dis- 
honored. Jf you would only think of Christ and the Apostles be- 
ing on the little and dishonored side, and frow^ied and scorned 
at by all the grand and noble of the country, it surely would 
buoy you up to do wlmt you tliought to be the will of God, i? every 
man on the earth frowned at you. Give me the frowns of every 
man on the earth befoi-e the frown of God, and I am resolved in 
the political affairs of this world to take the position vrhich will 
give equal privileges and rights to all mankind, if it makes me one 
of the poorest men in the government, and if I should vote my lands 
away 1 would be one of the poorest or one among the poorest, for I 
have nothing else except a few^ stock, etc. Biit I would feel happy 
to understand that the poor laboring man of this earth had an equal 
chance to make a living for himself and family and I would not feel 
so anxious to accumulate for my cliildreji, understanding tliat they 



172 HELPS TO THINKING, 

c.ould never be oppressed while they had physical ability to work and 
access and fredoni to Clod's fonr elements. Give a man the eailh to 
<'ultivate and the air, water and fire, and if he cannot, or will not, 
Tnake a living, he ought to perish ^nd get ont of tbe way of those 
that will work and make a living. Secondly, in things pertain ing- 
to Godly affairs, I am resolved to take the position that I under- 
stand to be in accordance to His word and teachings, if I receive 
the frowns of everylwdy on the earth and my earthly prosperity is 
cnt off. God help me to never advocate a principle for the canse. 
of my financial gain or prosperity, v/hilst I know tliafa large por- 
tion of this w^orld is moving on in that direction and to my sorrow 
and affliction, I can look back m gone by days and see that I have 
])racticed the same thing in some instances, but God being iny help- 
c]', in futnre days, I will endeavor to act altogether on a principle, 
let it condemn my practice or anybody else's. But in seeking after 
the goods of tliis world, I am expecting to seek after them as long 
^is I live on this earth a natural man and in common health, but I 
^trust I will never sacrifice a principle in order to make a financial 
<>;ain. For instance, if I was making money in dealing in wdiiskey, 
and hold iip for whiskey, because I was making money at the busi- 
ness, for an}^ common sensed man knows it is an evil and wrong to 
deal in it, tlfUt would be sacrificing a yjrinciple for a financial gain; 
or, m other words, if I was making money by being and swindling 
and for me to hold up for being and swindling because I was mak- 
ing money, would be sacrificing a principle for a financial gain. So, 
you see that J propose to condemn a wrong and advocate a right, 
and if it cuts my interest and prosperity off, let it cut, and let me 
abide by a true principle, and I would to God that we could all see 
and act that way, I imagine that we would have a country of loYe, 
]3eace, harmony and prosperity. We can weary along througli this 
world and fool men, but we cannot fool God. Annanias was in- 
structed by the Apostles to sell his possessions and come to the 
Apostles and give them all the money, but as Peter was a man he 
thought he could fool, and keep back a part of the money. Anna- 
nias was not apprised that Christ bad surrendered up Plis power and 
understanding to the Apostles to do His work. So, Peter having 
the understanding of Christ knew that be was holding back part of 
the raone}^ and told him that he was not lying unto men but to the 
Holy Ghost or God — acts 5 and 3 and 4. So, you see pretending 
to hold to a thing or principle because it is wdiolesome to the pock- 
et, it is not pleasing with God, and neither is it pleasing to our own 
conscience if we would make a close examination into onr hearts, 
though it is very common for men to laugh and boast about beating 
bis fellow-man, but according, to God's word his laughing and boast- 
ing will be turned into mourning and weeping. I close on this sub- 
ject and you readers can all laugh and scorn at me for my views 
about God's four created elements, but it is plain enough for a ten 
year old boy to understand, and I fully believe that God will sooner 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 173 

or later bring all fTiings in reference to His four elements that He 
ereated for the use, prosperity, and glory of men. 



ADMOXITIOX OX ALCOHOL. 



-\s alcohol is one of the grandest curses on the earth, 1 desire to 
say something concerning it, hoping to make the young, the middle 
aged, and the old aged go to thinking. I am aware that there are 
a large portion of the thinking people, that are prejudiced agaisnt 
any nian engaged in the manufacture of alcohol, and I pray to God 
that some revolution may take place that will create a 
united pi-ejudice againt distilled liquors. I am of the opinion that 
from the time it poui-s out from the coiled and poisonous worm of 
the distillei-y, until it empties into the hell of death, dishonor and 
crime, that it more or less, demoralizes everybody that touches it, 
from the poisonous worm, to wliere it dies in hell. I do not. see 
liow anybody can contemplate its use without becoming prejudiced 
against it. 

My fellow readers, all we have to do is to think of the wrecks 
on either sivle of the jourdan of death. On this side of death, it 
leads all that deals in it hellwardly and with an every day conteni- 
l)lation of hell, and after crossing the jourdan of death, it makes a 
perpetual and ceaseless hell. 

We will now contemplate the suicides, the insanity, the destitur 
tion of little children, crying for bread, some tugging at the almost 
heartless and witliered breast of weeping, dispan-ing mothers who 
liave been brought down from pomp and splendor. 

We see men struggling ^ylth imaginaiy serpents produced by 
this devilisli thing, and when we think of the •asylums, prisons and 
the gallows, we would wonder .that every thoughtful man was not 
prejudiced against this damnable stuff called spirituous liquors. 

Let us ask ourselves if intemperance does not. cut youth down inr 
his honorable manhood and vigor? And the middle-aged man, 
amidst his loving family is weakened plwsically, weakened ticancial- 
ly, weakened in the confidence of his wife, weakened in the confi- 
dence of his children, weakened in the confidence of his neighbors, 
;md has the frowns of God resting on him? The old aged is speed- 
ed on to his grave in bankruptcy; the fathers are made to mourn; it 
bereaves the heart of the loving and effectionate mother; it reduces 
the natural affections; it firases conjugal or marriage love; it blots 
out brotherly attachments; it blites or destroys parental hope and 
brings down young age in sorrow to the grave; it produces weak- 
ness, not strength; it produces sickness, not health; it produces 
death, not life; it makes wives widows, not husbands; it makes chil- 
dren orphans, not fathers, and pre^Dares multiplied thousands of 



174 HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 

eood women and children for tlie poor house; it feeds rheumatism; 
it nurses dyspepsy and bm-ns n^) the digestive powers; it helps con- 
sumption to fill the grave; it produces and cultivates idleness; it 
brings about misery and crime; it helps feed the lawyers; it helps 
feed the doctors; it fills your jails; it demands larger asylums and 
more of them; it gets up controversies and disputes; it gets up quar- 
rels and prospers riots; it fills our penitentiaries; it furnishes victims 
to the gallows; it is the prosperity to the gambler; it is the element 
of the highway robber; it generates thieves, and supports 
tlie midnight incendiary torch; it respects the thief and the 
liar; it robs God and supplies the devil; it violates obligation; it cul- 
tivates fraud and swindling; it reduces love and hates morality; it 
scorns virtue and honor; it slanders honesty; it excites the father 
to murder his little offspring; it helps the husband to butcher his 
\vife; it irritates the child to grind his ax to slay the father; it destroys 
peace in famlies; it speeds good women to the grave and makes moth- 
erless children; it ])romotes perjury; it adulterates the jury box; it mur- 
ders justice in the legislative bodies; it is ruinous to our otticial men; it 
destroys the honor of the oraceful and visroroiis vouno-man! itbrino;s 
him to shame; it wallows him in the muddy streets; it robs him of his 
energy; it exhausts his pocket, and it helps the gi-ave to capture him in 
the bloom of life; it dispairs the hopeful mother; it darkens the 
drinkers road to heaven; it blazes his road to hell and makes proud 
the devil; it tortures the father; it breaks the union of loving fami- 
lies; it disturbs the peace of the christian bodies; it makes discord 
among friends and neighbors; it ruins the morals of our country; it 
reduces or wipes out natural love; it curses everybody and blesses 
no body; it laughs at the downfall of good people; it laughs at the 
downfall of the country; it does more than that, it murders the joy 
of the soul; it is the father of all crimes and a strong root to all evil; 
it produces abomination; it fills hell and tickles the devil; it robs 
Heaven and o-rieves God. Oh! I would to God that I could enu- 
merate the one hundredth evil that it feeds. \^ 

Amidst all these infallible truths, we see many men advocating 
its welcome in our country, and the most astonishing thing is, many 
c?f tlie church people who are claiming to be in favor with God, are 
welcoming the damnable stuff in their country and advocating the 
cause of its free citizenship among us, when if they would open one 
eye to the cause, interest and love of God, they would be made to 
bow their head with a guilty conscience, and say God help us to 
fight the monster that has caused so much rebellion to thy ^^:ord and 
teachings. Help us to fight the monster that steals off our sons in- 
to dissipation; help us to fight the monster that breaks the love and 
Ijarmony of companionship; help us to fight the monster that makes 
the naked and hungry children mourn; help us to fight the monster 
t'lat makes disturbance at tlie christian churches; help us to fight 
the monster that feeds hell and robs Heaven.* 

Let me ask the young men readers, since you have read this ad- 
nomitioii, if you can see any evil about the productions of this mon- 



• HELPS TO THIXKTKO. 17:^ 
„^ _ ..j» 

jster? Let me ask the middle aged, if tliey can see any evil about 
the pi'oduetioHs of this monster? Let me ask the old aged if tliey 
•c-an see any evil about the productions or fruits of this monster? If 
tliere should be any of the readers that cannot see any evil about the 
fruits of this monster, I would have my friends to send me to the 
Asylum or have me a guardian appointed. If your intelligence can. 
•comprehend its evils then I would no more advocate it or welcome 
it in my country, my neighborhood or my house. I would either 
i)e for God vr the devil, and not try to be on both .sides. If - 1 
was for (iod I would not drink with the devil, and if I was for the 
ilevil, I would not pretend to drink with God, and in order to show 
you whether God is in favor of. wines and strong drink, I will refer 
you t'> his own inspired word for you to read for yourself, aiul if 
God is in faviir of it, then contend earnestly for it, and if He con- 
demns the use of it then contend earnesth^ against it^Prov. 4 and 
17. 81 and 4, 5. And '21 and 17, Liev, 10 and 9. Judg, lo and 
4, 7. Duet. 1^1 and 20, Isah 2^ and 1, 8, 7, Joel 1 and 5, 
Nahnra 1 and 10. Hosea 4 and 11, 1 Cor. (5 and 10. Eph. 5 and 
is, '2 Tim. 2 and 5. 1 Tim. 8 and 8, 8. Titus 1 and 7, 8, 



THE VAIX, PKOUD, MOXIED PlIEACHEirS PRAYEIJ. 



Oh Lord! We thank thee f or thy goodiiess. ^iVe thank thee for 
the seasons that thou hast sent upon the eaith that it may yield its 
abundance, (but without our labor) AVe desire, oh Lord! that the la* 
boring people may be able and willing to till or cultivate the earth, 
and that it may yield her productions copious and bountifully to 
to their hands. We desire, oh Lord! that tlifey may make a surplus 
of provisions and sustenance that we may be able to reap a sumptU' 
ous living thereby. Our father, we desire to speak to them the 
words that will please them. We desire, our father, that thej^ may 
believe that we speak the words of God which thou hast given us, 
and that we are thy mouth piece. Oh Lord! help them to be liber- 
al-hearted towards the gospel that the gospel horse may be kept in 
pompt and splendor. ()h Lord! we desire to live easy, we desire to 
1)0 honored, we desire to wear fancy and soft goods, we desire that 
we may not be exposed to the" sun, we desire, our father, to be look- 
ed up to as teachers and grand men, we desire to travel over the 
earth that we may view tlie ladscape and view the sceneries of the 
earth. Oh Lord! we desire to have plenty of itioney that we may 
I'eap the luxuries as we go. Our father, help us to deliver the 
grandest speeches that were ever delivered in each city as we traveL 
Heavenly father! help the audience to appreciate our sermons. 
Lord! help them to have liberal hearts toward us, and give them 
willing minds to support us. Oh Lord! make them thoughtful 



176 HELPS TO THIXKIXG. • 

■ — w — - '■ 

♦•-oncerning iis^— help them to think of lis an<l our families as they 
<lo their own. Our fatherl Help them to think of our tender hands 
and our fancy and soft apparel,. for thou knowest oh Lord, that our 
hands would be easily blistered and made sore — thou knowest that 
our fancy apparel would be easily soiled and spoiled — thou knovrest 
•we desire to look grand and fashionable. Oh Lord! thou knowest 
it would hurt our feelings to be forced to the plow and hoe han- 
dles, for thou knowest the sun would be very oppressive to us — 
thou knowest it would be very hard on our wives to be forced to do 
their cooking, washing, scouring and milking; therefore, oh Lord! 
help the lower class or laboring people to keep us ,,up in pom}) and 
splendor. Remember, oh Gail! .that we desire to give our children 
a collegiate education that they may fill our places on the fautastii^ 
vehicle supported by the gospel. Thou knowest, oh Lord, if we 
fail to give them a collegiate education, that they may have to get 
their living by the sweat of then* face as God the father cojnmanded. 
< )ur father, we read thy word commanding us to love our enemies 
and those that persecute us. Thou knowest, oh Lord! that w^e love 
t'.iose that feed and support us better than we do those that perse- 
cute us, although, oh Lord, we know thy word teaches that sinners 
love those that are good to them. Nevertheless," our father, we 
know that thou hast called us as a mo^ith piece to do th}'' work, 
therefore, oh Lord, we know that we are not -sinners; although, 
thou knowest that we have respector of persons, thou knowest the 
ones that feed us t]ie*l:>est for we love the best. Thou\nowest 
Avhen a good brother takes us to their palace and gives us sumptu- 
ous-food, that|we pray mightily for them, asking God's blessing to 
attend them that they may b^ able to continue dividing their luxu- 
]-ies with us; thou knowest oh Lord, that w^e can pi-each better and 
pray louder for prosperous and high-toned communities than we 
can for poverty stricken comnumitics. Thou knowest we can af- 
ford to stay longer witli tliem and enjoy ourselves better. We like 
their company better — we like th'feir style better — we like their 
honor better — we like their food better — we like their lodging- 
better — therefore, oh Lord, we desire to preach in prosperous 
countries and commiinities that we may enjo}^ the fat of this world 
and at last occupy a liigh seat hi heaven. Heavenly Father, we de- 
sire that our denomination or creed may surpass all other creeds — 
Ave desire, oh Lord, that we have the greatest number — we desire 
that they may be of the most honorable portion of the earth. We 
pray, oh Lord, that we may never have- to take it a foot as old Paul 
did. We pray we may never have to preach hungered and 
naked as he . did. We desire, oh Lord, that thou wouldst 
give the' people hietter missionary hearts than the}^ had. 
in the days of Paul. We pray that the peoj^le may 
honor us preachers higher than any one else. We desire, oh Lord, 
that we could climb higher and higher. Help us, oh Lord, to^have 
more and more comforts, more and more pleasures, until we can 
OGCiTpy the highest position among men. Oar father help the pe'o- 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. ITT 

])le to believe that it is right and just to hoM \m up in a liigli posit- 
ion among men. Help tliem, oli Lord, to feel tliat it is not only 
y'lfyht and just but that it is then* duty to hohl us up and donate to 
us^ liberally. AVe desire to visit the cities and towns, that we may 
see or behold the grand sceneries and enjoy the luxuries of 
this fantastic world. Heavenly Father, we feel that it is not neces- 
sary that thepoor labormg people should behold all the grand scene- 
i-ies of the earth, as we -are their mouth-piece, we can tell them all 
about it. Oh Lord, Thou knowest that we have spent our time 
and money studying divinity that we might please Thee and impart 
to sinners the salvation of Jesus. Christ. Oh Lord, thou knowest 
we iind the most sinners to preach to, where ^ve get the most pay. 
Heavenly Fathei', v\'e know that Thou art able to save the poverty 
•stricken section of country. AVe trust, oh Lord, that thou in thy 
goodness, will save them and let us save them that are in prosperity, 
where we can feast on the fat of the lamb. Thou knowest, oh 
Lord, tjiat there are sonie of thy called ministers that cannot 
])reac]i thy word but little; therefore, oh Lord, they can afford to 
tell their little message for less ])ay than we can that understands 
theology so well. Heavenly father, we know that they can do witli- 
out the luxuries of this world better than we can. They do not 
]ieed as fine p^pparel as we do. VTe think, oh Lord, that they 
ought to be satisfied with a lower sphere in life than us. AVe be- 
lieve Heavenly Father that they ought to preach to the poverty 
stricken people, whilst we are ]jreaching to the more prosperous 
communities and cities. Our father Ave understand and believe 
Thou sent Th}' son into the world to preach to sinners. We believe 
our Father, that He went a foot and tired, and hungered, and thirst- 
ed, and suffered with heat and cold. AVe believe that He taken it 
all patiently. - We further believe, oh Lord, that he had. all the in- 
firmities that we preachers have, sin excepted. We further believe 
uur Father, that Thy son sent the Apostles to preach to the sinners 
or lost sheep, and that they were men of like passion to ourselves 
Oh Lord, we do not understand how they could be content to go 
and preach, dismounted, shoes or no shoes, clothes or no clothes, 
food or no food, persecuted or not persecuted, whipped or not whip- 
ped. But we do know, our Heavenly Father, that we desire to go 
magnificently mounted and well clothed in every respect with 
plenty of untricious food. We further desire, oh Lord, that our 
tour on this earth while in Thy service will be without toils, with 
peace, plenty, comfort and pleasure, and at last take a high seat 
at Thy right hand there to share the riches of the Heavenly King- 
dom for ever and ever, Amen, Amen. 



ITS; HELPS TO THINKING. 

THE PHAYEl^ OF/ITIE AUTHOH OF THIS BOOK. 



Heavenly Fatlier! Thou kiiowest my heart or inner thoughts, 
I'liou kiiowest/Tii}^ desires in all things; Thou knowest the cause or 
(rio-in of my desires; tlierefore, oh Lord! help me to speak the 
truth of my desires in all things whatsoever I shall attempt to speak 
<,)!. Thou kiiowest I have been in rebellion to Thee, or Thy puri- 
ty, all the days of my life, for Thou knowest I have been v\'orldly 
'and cj'vrnal minded, seeking after carnal or worldly things that the 
vanit}' of my nature calls for, which I inherited from Adam and 
Eve whom Thou formed and created subject to vanity which they 
fci] into, by disol-edionce, according to thy Avord and teacliing. Oh 
L:,](l, I understand tliat I cannot remed}' my condition or' deliver 
myself from the original fall of my ancestors Adam and Eve, there- 
fore, if I know my heart, I thank Thee for Thy interceding Son Jesus, 
Christ, who has promised salvatimi or delivei-ance to the wliole Adamic 
family. Father, I know Thou art jnst for Thy purity could not 
be otherwise; hence, I believe tliat all people will be rewarded ac- 
cording to tlieir own deeds in tliis life and that then- rewards will be 
received in eternity, whether tliey be good or whether they be bad. 
Tlierefore, Heavenly Fatlier, help me to be a close observer of Thy 
divine word and jjractice its teachings as much as my caTuel nature 
will admit. Thou knowest I ha,ve fallen short in many instances 
(■■t keeping Thy divine teachings and have received Thy frowns which 
^\•iU be fresh in my understanding throughout eternity. Therefoi'e, 
oh Lord, I trust that I m.ay be able to circumspect niy acts and 
keep myself in due^bounds, and govern myself accordingly that my 
( onscience may not condemli me, before Thee in eternity, hence, giving 
me joy throug]u)ut eternity. I desire, Heavenly Father, that I may 
iie\er be seduced oi- led }y man oi- false teachers any moie; bui that 
J may stick closer and closer to Thy divine word or teaching, and I 
iurther desire tliat the wdiole creation would do likewise in reference 
\o thy teach.ing and no longer follow the pursuits of corrupt man. 

Heavenly Father, Thou knowest that the wdmle creation have 
i<;] lowed, off after vanity, until vanity seems to be our ruling master 
makmg coriaip^n througliout the nation. I desire, oh Lord, that 
lliou, in Thy goodnec.s, Avould bring about some revolution 
that would bring the wliole creation to a level and equality. I 
1 m th.er desire that all peojde may have equal rights and privileges 
to Thy four elei^ients, wliicli TiU)U created for oui-good — that is the 
earth, th<? fire, the water and the aii-. I desire that the grand aris- 
tocrat may be brought to be a uHer of the earth. I desire that the 
l;nvye!- luay be bro.ught to b(? a tiller of tht^ earth. I desire that the 
|,)o'itit'ian may be brought to be a tiller of the eartln I desire that 
all the vain preachers of this proud day may be bw)ught to be til- 
h')s of the earth. I further desii-e that the wliole creation may be 
l>rought to get tljeir living by the sweat of their faces as thou saidst 
in the beginning, but oh, fether! I know that thou wilst bring all 
things right at tliy ov>-n good time, therefore, help me to exercise 



HELPS TO THIXKIXa. ITU 



];UUeiice as t]iy infinite wisdom knows what is best, aeeording to 
Thy word. Oh Lord! We see tliat Thou hast suffered the jieopk' ot" 
this eartli to goon ni wickedness until every imaginary tliought was 
evil and then brouglit justice upon the eartli by destroying the whole 
creation except one family which was Xoah's. Therefore, Heavenly 
Father, I desire to be submissive and subjected to Thy will and 
knowledge of Thee. Heavenly Father, if I have asked for anything 
that is evil or not in accordance to Thy will, I pray Thy forgiveness 
and desire Thou wouldst give me a pure and clean heart. Hel|» 
me to impress all with whom I confer with, toj-ead and search Thy di- 
vine word, that the}' may understand Thy divine teaching and subject 
themselves to the same. I desh'e, oh Lord, that the aristocrat will 
read this little message that I have written to the people that they 
may study well all Thy word that I have pointed out. I desire that 
the politici.an will do likewise. I desire that the lawyer may read 
ami study it. I desire that the doctor may read and study it. 1 
desire that the merchant may read and study it. I desire that the 
preacher may read and study it, with prayer. • I desire that the la- 
boring man may read and consider it thoughtfully that they may 
lake steps to deliver themselves from under the political oppression. 
I desire, oh Lord, that the laboring people may take the sovreignty 
of this government strictly in their own hands and tear down the 
land monoply and all other monoplies that is coritrarj^ to Thy will, 
hence, making all men with equal rights, with equal priviliges and 
vcjual happiness. I desire Heavenly Father, that the politics of this 
government was obliterated or wiped out and make one united band 
<»f co-operators. T further desire that all the fictitious and so-call- 
ed religious denominations was obliterated and wiped out and turn- 
ed into one sweet union or organized body of Christ's dieciples 
M'ho are led by Christ's own word 'or Xew Testament. I desire, 
our father, that we may beware of false teachers who are claiming 
to be sent out from God. I desire, oh Lord, that w^ all remember 
Thy Sons charge to His disciples m the 24 chapter of Matthew, that 
M'e may not be lead oft: by those pretending to be sent from God, 
and at the same time, sent from the devil. •; Heavenly father thou 
knowest that I with all the nation have been led by the })opular 
opinions and doctrines of men. I thank Thee that I have been able 
to see the error of my ways, and I desire, oh Lord, that the AA'hole nation 
may be quickened andmade^live to that understanding. ' Help us oh 
Loj-d to be of one understandiiig. Help us to have Init one spiritual 
interest. Help us to be honest towards one another. Help us to 
liave a principle of equal rights towards each other. Help us to' 
.ccmtend for these equal rights. Help us to understand, and feel 
that we are all the same tiesh or material, with the same culture 
and teaching. Help us to feel that we are one body and one peo- 
] >le. Help those of us, oh Lord, that are not honest and honorable to 
think and consider, that we may bring about a reformation and act 
honest with our fellowman. Help those, oh Lord, that belives we 
are superior to others who are honest, to think and consider that 



ISO HELPS TO THINKIXa 

we may niKTerstaiid that ^ve are but equal. Pleaveuly Father, I de- 
Wwe that we may remember aiuT consider that Thou, in ''j^liy wisdom,, 
made choice of the poor class of people to represent Thee in Pleav- 
enly thiiTgs, therefore, aurFather^ I desire that we may all read Tliy 
word with a proper understandino- and be o'overned for good. 
Help ITS to feel that we are but ilesli and altog'ether corruption. 
Help us to feel that we are but siii and altogether evil. Ilelpnis to 
feel onr nothingness before Thee. Help us to nnderstand that there 
is no good in us. Help ns to nndei'stand that we cannot do any 
good act before Thee, therefore, our Father, help us to look to Thee 
for all good an>I all }>ower. I desire, oh Lord, that our understand- 
ing may be increased every time tliat we search Thy word. Help 
irs to be faithful to Thy teaching'. Help lis to act just and right 
before all mankind. Help us to live and act right before our chil- 
dren. Help us to instruct them in the right way. Help us to makt^ 
our precepts and examples corres])ond. Oh Lord, let me live long- 
or die soon, help me to act so, whilst T am on this earth, that I may 
5iot mourn over. my act^ in eternity. Amen. 



HELPS TO THIXKIXG. 181 

OX THE SUBJECT OF BEIXO KEGEXEKATED AX]) 

BORX AGAIX. 



Tlic readers uill doubtless notice that I have in several places 
adinitted, or held out the idea of conversion regeneration or l)eing 
born of God in these modern or late daj's which would make them 
christians or Cbrist-like. At the time of writing my manuscript I 
believed something of that doctrine, but, having been a continuel 
student of the Bible and askuig God to unravel tlie mystification 
that had been planted in my understanding by tlie tradition of 
nn^ surroundings I trust I have been able to better understand tlie 
teachings of God tlirough Christ and the Apostles. 

I now understand that there is no one on eartli that has any pow- 
er of God over any flesh on earth in any wa^', more tlian the physi- 
cal and mental ability of man; the literal word of God being all 
the way that anvbodv can learn anvthinoj of God. In the da^•s of 
the law and prophets, there was no one that' knew anything of (io<l 
only what the written inspired prophesy told them, except the in- 
spired prophets. The otlier people only understood what the law 
said and the penalty of the disobedience of the law. The Mosaic 
law was typical of the new law or Christ's law, which has been our 
guide over 18011 years and all the violaters of the law will suffer in 
eternity according as tht3y have disobeyed Christ's law; or joy, 
according as we have complied with the law of Christ. In the 
gospel dispensation which was in the days of Christ and the Apostles, 
when they taught and convinced the people by performing miracles 
and giving them Godly po^^■er to work out their own salvation with 
fear and trembling, for God worked in them both to will and to do with 
His own good pleasure — Phil. 2 and 12 and 13. When God sent 
Christ in the world to bring the glad tidings or good news to the 
Israelites, He give Him power over all flesh — John 17 and 2. So, PIo 
having the power of God could do all things what-ever He de- 
sired to do; therefore, when His mission on this earth was ended and 
His appointed time came to destroy the devil through death which 
completed His work on this earth — Pleb. 2 and 14. Jesus had pow- 
er to lay down His life, and had power to take it uj) again — John 
10 and 18; hence, in that act He annihilated or destroyed the devil 
and when the last Adamic jnan is resurrected the devil will be left 
dead in hell or the grave. God gave Christ power over all flesh 
and power to lay down and take up His life. Christ, like\\'ise, gave 
His Apostles the same power or glory that God gave Him, for they 
could retain sin or forgive sin — they could take life or give life — 
they could la^" down their own life and take it up again. ITou will 
notice— '-Acts 5 and 5 where jow will see that Peter spoke Anania's 
and his wife's life away for lying to the Holy Ghost, and all you 
Bible readers remember that he raised the dead. Then you see it 
was not so hard for a brother to give his life for a -brother when ho 
could take it up again, for they were supernatural; but it is impos- 
sible for a natural and sane man to give his life for a brother's life 



182 HELPS TO TIIIXKIXa. 

imless it is by compulsion. AVe see that 1 John 8 and 16, says that 
the brothers ought to lay down their lives for the brethren. A man 
tl at had been born of God as was in the Apostles days would love 
God supreme to anything else. AVe see that Christ was begotten 
of God, and everything , bei^^ets like itself, therefore, He was like 
God His father and God give all power into His hands, and as many 
as believed on Christ He gave them power to become the sons of 
God — John 1 and 12. Hence, you see that Christ was like His 
father and the Apostles was like Christ their father, for He was 
their father in the gos])el, as He begotten them with the Holy Ghost 
or power of God, and Christ said liis father and Himself and the 
Apostles were all one — John 17 and 20 and 21. This was Christ's 
prayer the night before His crucitication. He ])rayed that Go<l 
would keep the Apostles from evil, tlierefore, we know that they 
never had any more evil about them, for Clirist could not pray for 
a \\e or pray for a thing that would not be. You will find that 
prayer in .John 17 and lo. You will see that He met them differ- 
ent times after He resurrected Himself before He made His asces- 
sion to Heaven, and the last time He met them Up told them to go 
to Jerusalem and stay at that place until He indued them with pow- 
er from on high, which was the comforter — Luke 24 and 47 and 48. 
(That was on the day of ])entecost) and after that day they under- 
stood all things pei'taining to God and Christ, and had the same 
power of Christ, therefore tliey were christians, because they were 
Clirist-like, they had received power to become the sons of God by 
conversion regeneration and l)eing born of (irod through the re- 
velation of the gospel and power of tlie Holy Ghost, now were 
heii's of God and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. They 
were i^ow able to forgive sin — extend the Holy Ghost, or give any 
kind of spiritual o-ifts that they saw propc^r to edify or buihl up th<' 
cause of God, and they, also, understood that Christ would, soon 
appear the second time without sin unto salvation or deliverance. 
Paul seemed to understand all about it for he told them that they 
should not all sleep, but they that was not asleep or dead'should be 
chano-ed in the twinklino- of an eye— 1 Cor. 15 and 51 and 52. 
Aii'ain he said to the Philij)penn cliurch to let their moderations be 
known to all men, foi- tlie Lord was at hand — Phil. 4 and 5. So, 
you see that Paid very clearly uiiderstood that Christ would shortly 
return as he was exhorting them to be in readiness. He knew that 
He wns coming but would not tarry, therefore, they 
would not have time to make any preparation after He came. He 
said to the Hebrew church to exhort one another. So, much the 
more as you see the day a])proaching— Heb. 10 and 26. And he, 
also, sr.id to tlie same church, for yet a little while and he that shall 
come, v.'jll come and will not tarry — Heb. 10 and 87. So you see it is as 
])lnin as twice 2 is 4 that Paul kncAv that the second coming of Christ 
was close at hand. He also knew that His time was about up for 
he wrote Timathy that his time was about up and was admonishinghis 
son Timathy not to neglect his duty and power that he had bestow- 



HELPS TO TIITXKIXG. 18:5 



otl u})()n liiin by becfettiriG: him of the Holy (Thost. Before Christ 
was eruciiieu tlie .Vpostle.s were zealous, or earnest followei's, or in 
other words, disciples of Jesus Christ, and they dearly loved Itim, 
hut they were natural men like ourselves and was subject to fall 
l>ack and <;et into error, and old Peter, as well as he loved Christ, 
denied Him aijd he curseil and swore, and made tight on the 
night of Christy's arrest and cut off the high priest's servants ear. 
So, you see although he liad been a warm and true follower for 
rd^ont tlii'ee years he was far from being a christian, or Christ-like. 
After he became to be a christian he took all things quiet and never 
nmi-mered at any of his persecutions. History says he was crucified, 
and lie (juietiy told them to crucify him with his liead downward as 
lie did not desire to be honored as much as his Saviour Jesus Christ, 
nTid he knew that he could take u]) his own life again, and he knew 
that the time was close at hand when Christ would come the sec- 
c»nd time. Fur more ])roof of Christ's second coming being at the 
end of the A])ostles days, you will notice Math. 24 chapter with an 
hojiest consideration. All the people that lived in time of the 
Mosaic law and understood the law will know throughout eternity 
just how they obeyed the law, therefore, if they were disobedient to 
the law they will remember that thev atoned for it by receiving the 
l»unishment that the law inflicted, and if they were obedient to V. e 
law the\' will liave peace or joy throughout eternity; but you will no- 
tice that all those Apostles were strictly obedient to the law up to the 
coming of Christ, or the revelation of the gospel, and after the gos- 
j>el was^ made known they were strict observers of it, consequently, 
their joys in eternity are complete and full. They lived under the 
3Iosaicle law and obeyed it, and. they wrote Christ's spiritual law 
by inspiration which is our entire o'uide while in this life and ac- 
cording as we observe it in this life, will be our joy or torture 
throughout eternity,, for every act of our life will be as fresh iu 
eternity as it is wdiile on tins earth. Our acts and deeds of to-day 
■will be just as fresh in eternity as it is in the morning of the next 
day after a refreshing nights sleep, for we cannot tell wlictlier it has 
been one hour, one year, one hundred years or ten thousand years 
ii'mce we went to sleep. Just so, when we die and are quickened 
and made alive by Christ the quickning spirit. We cannot tell 
M'hether we have been dead one hour, one year, one hundred years 
or ten thousand 3'ears: hence, M'hen made alive in the morning of 
the resun-ection, all of our acts of this life will be as fresh as they 
are after a refreshing nights sleep. This being the case, you see it 
is very necessary and importent that we sliould circumspect our 
acts and keep ourselves in due bounds of Christ's law and be gov- 
erned by it. I would have you to undei'stand that we were all 
born into a nature of lustly flesh, and will be inthat condition as long 
as blood runs our veins, uidess we had the power of God to regen- 
erate or give a new birth to ourselves, which, will never be on this 
earth any more, as Christ has finished his work that (Jod appointed 
Him to do, and the Apostles finished the work that Christ sent 



184 HELPS TO THINKING, 

and empowere.l UiPin to do. Then our duty is to follo'.v the teach- 
ings of Clirist as near as we are '^ble in our weakness. Then it' wr 
follow Christ's teacbinafs we are Christ's disciples, and there should 
he no otiier name on this earth but" Christ's disciples. But Alas! 
Alas! we see multiplied thousands of great men's disciples which is 
of the devil, marching in vast columns to eternal damnation. This 
regeneration or new birth of this day only wants a close exan)ina- 
tion of the teaching of Christ to see that it is a mistake. When 
anything is born, it is born into a natui'e: for instance, when a 
lamb is born, it has the nature of a sheep, \^hen a pig is born it has 
the nature of a hog, when a child is born, it has the nature of a hu- 
man; when Christ A\'as born. He hod the nature and desire of God, 
when the saints were born by the power that was given them, thev 
hid the nature and desire of God. You will remember that John 
hid diciples, and you will also, remember that Christ had disciples, 
b it before Christ's cruciiiction none had been regenerated or born 
o: God. If you remember, John's disciples had not so much as heard 
of the Holy Ghost; but they had received understandings of" a ^Sa- 
viour, but had their nature to contend with, which made a warfare 
with them, and, so it was with Christ's disciples. They understood 
or believed that He was the Saviour spoken of, but they had their 
tieshly bh'th's nature, to contend with, which made a cross witli 
tbem to follow Christ; but after thev became recfenerated and born 
of God, it was no cross to them to forsake their families and 
a'oods of this world and woi-k in the^canse of Christ. Hence, it would bo 
just so to-day if we were regenerated and born of God. It ^\culd 
be no cross to us to forsake all of this world's goods, comforts an<l 
pleasures, and work in the cause of Christ our reedeemer. You 
Mill take notice that the disciples of John and Christ, received their 
nnderstanding from the preacliing of John and Christ. While we 
receive our understanding wholeiy and solely from the divine word of 
Christ and no other way, thcn-efore, we have the understanding of 
a Saviour and an understanding of our duty, which conflicts with 
the devtl or our Heshly desires; hence, making a Avarfare with the 
liesh and the understanding; but says one, when does the warfare 
commence? It commences Avhen the person concludes and determ- 
ines to forsake his ways and follow the teachings of Christ the Sa- 
viour that he reads of, in the Kew Testament. So, then it is that 
he or she feels good or happy over His conclusion which is called 
by the wide woi'ld regeneration or a new birth, which if that was so, 
they would never lust after anything of this world any more, but 
would be C'hrist-like; hence, having the natui'fe of God. AYe will 
now examine the case of a disloyal, dissipated and wild character. 
He has been o-oino- on and following: after the nature and desires of 
the Hesh, which he understands is contrary to the laws of his countr}', 
and making himself unpopular and from some occurrence or some- 
bodies counsel he is made to go to meditating over his vile ways. 
Perhaps he will study as he works, study as he walks, study as he 
sits and study as he lies on his bed, until he becomes miserable, 



HELPS TO TTITXKTXG. l>^o 

- r 

wretched ami feel worthless to Iiimselt aiul coaiUry, aii'l iui;k'r- 
staii'ls that he is iiotlnng in tlie eyes of goo;l people. Then it is, 
that he eoiicUides and determines to forsake the error of his ways, 
and subject lumself to the hiws of his country and to good he- 
liaviour. He then repents or turns away from his profane and vile 
Jiabits, which makes him feel good and happy and like a new man. 
He is then just- as much regenerated and born as an^'body ever 
has been since the days of the Apostles, and if he had been tauglit 
that to be reixeneration, or anew birth, he always would haye re- 
membered of that good feeling and belieyed it was God's spirit, 
born in him. I think I have said enough on being regenerate*! 
and born, again to make good tliinking people go to studying over 
tliis matter. You know that anything cannot be born until it is 
begotten and you will see in many ])laLX^s that Christ is the only be- 
ixotten of God — fVcts 13 a^ul 80. And Heb. 1 and 5 and 6. And 
John 1 and U and 18. And 3 and 16 and 18. And 1 John 4 and 9. 
And 5 and 1. Xow you will see where Paul begotten the brethei'n 
in CiU'ist Jesus through the gospel — Phileni 10. And he says as 
nn'- beloved, sons I warn you— 1 Cor. 4^nd 14. I desire that you 
'will notice that Christ told the Apostles that repentance and remis- 
sion of sins should be preached in His name among all nations be- 
ginning at Jerusalem and that they should wit4{ess these things— j- 
Jaike 24 and 27 and 48 and 49. So, you see that they completed 
the preaching tour before they died, for He said to them that they 
should witness those things. So, you see and know that they are 
not here now to witness preaching; therefore, the devil is witnessing 
the preaching of this day. (As much of ray work is opposing the doc- 
trine of special called preachers of this day and time, I desired to 
call your attention to the above circumstance.) 

I believe I -have said about all I wish to say about 
resreneration at this time. It seems to me that there 

has been enough said with the scriptures that are pointed out 
to convince anybody that is willing to be conyinced. However, I 
have just thought of another figure or circumtance I will state: I 
once met up Avith a man, (who was said to be a good citizen) on 
his way from the penitentiary for hauling and dealing in blockade 
whiskey. I have not forgotten what he said, while I was in his 
company. He sad he was resolved and determined never to Iiave 
anything to do with blockade liquors any more, that he felt like a 
freed man, therefore, felt rejoiced and happy in his soul or under- 
standing, for he understood that the debt of sin or guilt Avas payed 
that had been hanging over liim — he felt like a new man, and was 
determined, by the help of God, to lead a new life and live hi obe- 
dience to the laws of his country. Hence, you see that it was the 
conclusion and resolution that makes him a new and ha^^py man and 
therefore, it is just so with everybodj^, whenever 

they conclude and resoh^e to follow after the teachings of Jesus 
Christ, the Saviour. That resolution brings about a warfare, and pro- 
duces a denial of fleshly des'ires and disobedient acts. I trust the 



18G HELPS TO THINKmG. 

foregoing, will be well sifted and tried by the pure word of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, who is a quickening spirit, and hath said as the whole 
creation died in Adam, CA'en so shall the whole creation lie quicken- 
ed and made alive by him. Lord help us all to observe thy teachings 
that we may not briiig condemnation on ourselves in this world nor 
in the world to come. Anicn. 



]MY EELIGXOUS FATTPI. 



1 believe in one Supreme Omnipotent and Allwis« God. 

I believe in a Triune God — the Father tlie Son and Efoly Ghost. 

T l)elieve that the law and prophets were written by inspiration 
of God the Father. 

T believe th;\t Chi'ist came at the appointed time and in the way 
the prophets foretold, He would come. 

I believe in the religion and teachings of Christ and the Apostles. 

1 believe in one Lord, one faith and one baptism, which is the 
b!iptism of the Holy Ghost. 

T believe after the Apostles received the Holy Ghost, or was en- 
dowed with power from on high, that they were sanctified or Holy, 
just like Christ Himself. 

I believe that all men that were ever born into God's famdy l)e- 
l()ri<>: to His family throughout eteniity. 

T believe it ])leased God, tln-ough the foolishness of preaching, to 
save them that believed. 

r believe that Christ and His perfect .Vpostles preached His own 
everlasting gospel. 

r believe that tlie divine Apostles wrote the preached word, and 
preached the last sermon that ever was preached on this earth. 

r believe that the preached word or Testament will stand written 
nntil the end of time, foi* He said His word should not pass away. 

I believe in a church organization with bishops and deacons to 
g >vern the church or disciples. , «, 

I believe that the only church that has ever been on this earth, 
was and' is, Christ's discijdes. 

I believe that all the isms of men are corrupt, and of the devil, 
nn 1 that the TestUm?]^ is the only (Tolly teaclier that there is on 
tlie (\irth. 



HELPS TO TIIIXKIXG. IS; 

USEFUL RECEIPTS FOR MAN AND BEAST. 



I have liad a tnad dog remedy, over ten years, which T clipped 
from a newspaper, but have liad no cause to make a trial of the 
remedy, but 1 have a good opinion of the merits of the remedy, •'^i^d 
I have thought time and again that I would have it put in the Con- 
stitution, but have failed to do it as yet; but I will now place it in my 
book as it inay benefit somebody. I will write tlie words of the 
original writer winch is as follows: "I Avish in the cause of hu- 
manity, you would ])ublish it. I liave known of iifty cases of per- 
.sons being bitten by rabid dogs in Montgomery county. Pa., in the 
last twenty years and not a single death resulted Avhere this remedy 
was used according to the directions, while those who refused to 
take it invariabl}^ died with the rabies, I have known 
of cases where two persons were both bitten at the same 
time; one took the remedy and never suffered any ill effects from 
the bites, while the other died with the rabies in nine weeks after 
being bitten, I would earnestly request all our half million readers 
to cut this out and preserve it, for there is no telling when they 
will badly need iy. Take 1^ ounces of elecampane root, grind it 
hne in a colfee mill; put the ground root into a pint of new milk, 
boil down to a half pint — take it at one dose in the morning, and 
eat nothing till 4 p. m., of the same day. Kepeat this every othei* 
day for three days, making 3 doses in all. The last two doses may 
consist of two ounces of the root to the pint of milk. It is impor- 
tant that it 1)0 taken on an emjjty stomach, also, tliat nothing should 
be eaten till from eight to ten hours after taking. I would also, state 
for general information in regard to the cure, that tjie remedy can 
be taken at any time. Most of those bitten, took it immediately 
after being bitten, others took it weeks after, and'still others not till 
the raV)ies were present. In every case where a patient was able to 
swallow, a cure was effected". 



A REMEDY FOK BLIXD STAGGERS. 



Tjiis remedy is said to be infallible, when applied in time. It is 
simply this: First bleed the horse freely in the neck, and then pour 
one-half table spoonful of spirits turpentine in each ear, and in about 
five minutes, pour into each ear one table spoonful of warm lard. 

o — 

A REMEDY FOR LOCKJAW IX HORSES. 



Take a plug of tobacco and stew it up strong in about one pint 
of water, and pour it down him. Pour it in tlie corner of his mouth. 
It is a certain and quick cure. 



Iss HELPS TO TIIINKIXG, 

A PtEMElJY FOR TAKING OFFAVAKTS FliOM STOCK. 



Take Cobalt, one part, gnii-powder two paits ami mix it up ir. lard 
and rub the salve on tlie warts two or three times a day, an'd if the 
A\'arts are large then wait two oi- tliree days, tlien go on the sanK^ 
way nntil g'one. It w^ill take them away without a scar, and if 
that does not do, take equal parts of Cobalt and gnn-powder. 

• o — ■ 

HOW TO MAKE A VERY A^ALUABLE SALVE. 



When onee using this salve no family will, be without it, wiieni 
t'ley can conveniently help it. The salve goes by the name of 
green salve. To make up one pint, take, equal parts pine i-osin and 
bees-wax and hogs lard, and a half part of mutton s^iet and to this, 
amount take one teaspoonful of blue stone. Then put in enough 
verdigreas^e to give it a green color, then you haTe a good salve fo»r 
sores. 



MAGNETIC PAIN KILLER, 



Take ninety-five per cent alcohol 2 ounces, gum camphor 2 ounces 
— good genuine I audaimm, one half ounce,, oil of cloves, two drachms. 
For cholic, or cramp cliolic; it never fails. Take one half teaferpoo'n- 
ful in a little water and if not relieved in half hour repeat it. It is 
also, good for Hux. To cure horse cholic one half ounce at a dos(^ 
in warm water. 



SOLDERING RECEIPT, 



Take half oun.ce of muriatic acid, put as much zinc in it as it will 
desolve or consume, then put as much rain water in the bottle. It 
is then ready for use. 



-o- 



CURE FOR ROTS IN ITORSEf^. 



Take oi»e pint of strong sage tea, alum half ounce, sugar one- 
fourth pound, linseed oil one-fourth j^int. Give it warm. If you 
cannot conveniently get the oil, give it without the od. It will be 
apt to relieve, though man\' times we doctor for bots when there i,*^ 
no bots there. But this remedy will iikely be good for cholic. 

. o 

THE SEVEN HORSE POWER LINIAIENT. 



Which cures big head, ])oll evil, ring bone, swinney, etc. Take 
one pint of spirits turpentine, one gill of alcohol, one gill of sweet 
oil, two ounces oil of spike, two ounces oil of cedar, two ounces of 
nerve and bone liniment, half ounce of aquafortis, half ounce of 
acetic acid, half ounce of corrosive sublimate, one ounce of gum 
camphor, mix and use. 



HELPS TO THINKING. 1 -^ 

FOR PARALYSIS. 

Eight grains imxvomca, eight grains Ilyoscyanius ami uight 
irrains iodide potassium. It is said to be a sure cure. As to the 
dose I have forgotten, but suppose an^- good jjhysician by noticing 
tlie ino-redients can tell what would be a reasonable dose. 

o 



A NUMBER ONE LINBIENT. 



Take one pint of alcohol, laudanum one ounce, hearts liorn one 
ounce, spirits turpentine three ounces, cayenne pepper one-half 
ounce, oil sassafras one ounce. Mix and use and you will tind it 
a splendid family liniment for sprains^ bruises, pains, etc. 

o 

HOW TO MAKE PEACH CIDER AVINE AND OTHER 

WINE. 



To get your peach cider if }-ou have a separating corn shelier, 
take out the separatoi- and tighten your spring in the shelier as 
tight as possible and run your 2)eaches through and let them stand 
about twenty-four hours, then put them in your press and press out 
the cider, and if you have no wine hydrometer you will put in 
about one and a half pounds of sugar to the gallon and set away, 
and if vou can secure a wine hvdi'ometer vou will sweeten until 
you raise the hydrometer to 40 and apples 85, and other cider and 
juices will have to be sweetened until you raise it up to 40. To 
make wine out of Shockley apples, it only takes about three-fuurtlis 
of a pound of sugar to the gallon and not over a pound at the lur- 
therest. If you ^esire nice wine you should draw it off once or 
twice and leave the sediments in the bottom. Now, in case any one 
desires a wine hydrometer they should enclose one dollar in a reg- 
istered letter to Lewis P. Coblantz, 3Iiddletown, Maryland, wlio 
will ship it promjjtly. 

o 

FOR AVORMS. 



Take dry pulverized sage, grind or rub it up tine and then mix 
an equal portion of sugar and give jjlenty as there is no harm in it. 
Also pumpkin seed well dried and groimd up line and give. Both 
remedies are good and cheap and perfectly harmless. 

_ ^o 

FOR ASTHMA. 



Take "cuckle" burrs and make a strong tea, and sweeten well 
with honey or sugar and drink. You will iind it a ready relief. 



190 HELPS TO THIKKING. 

FOR CROUP. 



Take equal portions of alum and sugar, and bathe the breast and 
throat with kerosene oil freely, and take a few drops in sugar, and 
you will generally find relief. 

_ — o 

HOW TO USE HOT WATER AND SAVE DOCTOR BILLS. 



The ordinary course of people is to' go at once for a doctor when 
any of the family are a little ill, and many seem perfectly at sea if 
some triilino; ailment follows the transsfression of the laws of health. 
The duty of an honest physician is not merely to attend people 
when they are sick .but to teach them how not to be sick. Also, to 
instruct them in the various simple means of balancing forces that 
have lost their equality of weight, and how to relieve pain and dis- 
tress of body without the aid of any one besides themselves, but we 
do find a great many pi-acticing physicians that do not wish to tell 
or impart anything as to their treatment, or what kind of medicine 
they are giving the patient, and, indeed, I have seen some that ap- 
pear to take an offense to ask them what kind of medicine they are 
giving. ]^ut all such doctors like two things and that is sense and 
])rinciple, and ought not to recei"\'e any patronage. That class of 
doctors think their duty is to get all the practice and money they 
can if the patient dies and goes to hell, and if he should leave a 
wife and children destitute of much of the goods of this world, 
tiiey are ready to take what is left, whilst other neighbors are help- 
ing them the}' feel under no obligation as a neighbor, but want 
t'ijeii' pay from two to five dollars per day, and in some instances, 
ten dollai-s per day — (whilst I admit that the genuine, honest-heart- 
ed physician is ready to help his neighbors and instruct them all he 
can as to giving medicines, and how to keep health.) 

One of the simplest and most effectual means of relieving paijis 
is by the ui^le of hot water externally and internally. The tempera- 
ture varying according to the feelings of the patient. For bruises, 
spi-ains, and similar accidental hurts, it should be applied immedi- 
atelv as hot as can be borne bv means of immersion, if it is anv 
]) irt of the person that can conveniently be put into a basin of wa- 
ter, and keep the water warmed up by adding more hot water un- 
til relief is obtained, and if the bruise or disease is on any part that 
cinnot conveniently be immersed it should be applied immediately 
by means of a flannel bbinket or cloth diij)ped into hot water and 
slightly wrung until it will not drip, and apply it as hot as the skin 
cm l)ear without injury, and kee}) the cloth hot by dipping it every 
ten or twelve minutes Until relief is obtained, and it will generally 
prevent nearly, if not entirely, the bruised flesh from turning black. 

For pains resulting from indigestion and known as wind cholic, 
etc., a cup of hot water taken in sips, will often relieve at once. 
When that does not relieve, a iiannel folded in several thicknesses, 
lai'gc- enough to fully cover the painful places should be wrung out 



HELPS TO THINKIxd 1>. 



of hot water and laid over the seat of the pain. It should be as hot 
as can be borne without injury, and be renewed every ten minutes 
or oftener if it feels cool until the pain is gone. 

For rheumatism immerse the effected part in hot water, kept up 
to the highest temperature that can be borne, by adding more wa- 
ter as fast as needed for an hour at a time, once or twice a day, if 
tlte case is very severe, though usually a half liour at a time is suffi- 
cient. Jt immersion is inconvenient^, use hot wet flannels frequently 
renewed instead of immersion. 

For headache, put the feet into hot water, and a towel wet witli 
hot water placed on the back of the neck. 

For sick headache drink all the hot water vou can, and do not 
I'.it a mouthful during a day. xV hot wet flannel laid close to or 
on the stomache will often relieve if nature has not been too much 
abused. 

For pains in the side, back, chest or bowels, hot wet flannels ap- 
))lie<l as previously directed, and the treatment repeated for a few 
divs in succession, will verv Gfenerallv effect a cure without the use 
of any other means. 

In cases of croup, and even d^^jtheria, if not too far advanced, 
the use of hot water applied externally will very much aid. 

If you will apply a hot blanket around a person when they first 
take the fever, you will almost invariably break the fever. Put the 
blanket into hot water and wring it out just s6 it will not drip too 
mu'. li and wrap it aroun<l the naked body and then wrap plenty of 
other bed clothes over the blanket, and keep them close for three 
hours or more, or until you get up a sweat, then put on dry clothes, 
keeping the air as much from them as possible, and be careful that 
they do not take cold. 

These are only a few of the uses that hot water is a good reme- 
dy, but experience will suggest others. The remedy is simple, 
harmless and within the ]-each of evevy one and should be more 
generally used than it is. If used with common sense it would 
fave many a doctor bill, and many a course of drug treatment also. 
But we ai'e afi-aid of taking any responsibility on ourselves for fear 
our child or companion would die and then we would always reflect 
on ourselves. But if we send for a physician and though his treat- 
ment should produce its death, we feel like we have done our duty. • 
At any rate we have taken the responsibility off of ourselves, 
^VheIl you give purgative medicine always give enough to act free- 
ly if you expect any relief from its use, and be patient, for when 
tlie doctor comes j^ou have to wait until the medicine acts, but 
some how we are more patient when he comes. AVell, these are 
only a few hints in refei'cnce to our conduct towards doctors. So, 
do what vou think is the l)pst. 



yl 1-IELFS TO THIKKIXG. 

FOK CUKIXG SNAKE 15ITE8. 

Take extra strong' lie or boil it down until it is .strong, o-v di.ssohe 
])otashin Avarni water, and put a pint of it into a lai-g-e necked bot- 
tle, and turn the mouth of the bottle to the bite, aiid apply until 
you are satisfied that it is all out. I secured this receipt fi-oin jM-.-. 
W. J. Cravin, who stated that he had seen men let snakes bite them 
and appU' the remedy and cni-e it at once, 

o 

FOR CURING DlJSTEMPER IN HORSES. 



Take dry f^age and pulverize it and give about a s]>oonfnl at .J 
timej once or twice a da3^ It will give almost in-ime'liate relief. 

— o 

A CURE FOR FILES. 



Take caj-bolic acid one part, glycerine two parts, and water one 
part and mix together, and to every ounce of the solution add twen- 
ty grains of Tanning and inject with a hyperdermid syringe about 
ten drops of the above mixture in the tumor. (Operate on but one 
at a time, then operate again in from seven to ten days. 

o • 

CHICKEN CHOLERA. 



Take leaf tobacco, dry and pulverize avK^ put into dough and 
feed to chickens. It is a sure cure and will keep them healthy and 



inake them tine and glossy. 



CURE I OR CORNS. 



Take night shade berries, boil them in hogs lard and amioint the 
corn with the salve. One tea spoonful of coarse brown sugar, one 
tea spoonful saltpeter, one tea spoonful of tar. The wdiole to be 
warmed together. Spread it on a kip skin leather the size of th(^ 
vorn and in t^^'o days it will be drawn out. 



-o- 



TOOTHACHE PREVENTATIVE. 



Use llower of sulphur as a tooth powder three times per day, 
rubbing the teeth and gums with rather a heavy tooth brusii. It 
])reserves the teeth and does not communicate any smell to the 
mouth whatever. 



CURE FOIi INGROWING NAILS. 



Heat a little tallow in a spoon over a lamp until it becomes vei-y 
hot, then pour it on the soi'e. The effect will be almost magical. 
A repetition may be necessaiy in some cases. 



HELPS TO THINKING. 



A CERTAIN CURE FOR FELON, 



Take a pint of coinuion soft soap and stir in it air slacked lirao 
until it is thickened but soft. Then make a stall out of thin leather 
nid nearly fill with the competition and insert the tino-er therein, 
and change thc^ composition once in tAventy minutes, and a cure is 
i'crtain. 



CURE FOR CR( )UF. 



Take a piece of lard as large a common-sized hickory nut mixed 
with sugar, divide it into three parts and given at intervals of twen- 
ty minutes, will relieve any case of croup Avhich has not already 
progressed to the fatal point. I have given you two or three rem- 
edies for the croup. Take your choice. 

o 

REMEDY FOR COUGH OR COLD. 



Take three eggs and four lemons. Slice the lemons and tirush 
the eggs. Add one-half pound of rock candy and tAvo ounces of 
olive. Take a tea spoonful three or four times a day^. 



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